First Lady of Amestris
by Queen Elenya Hawk
Summary: With Mustang's promotion to Führer, they both knew things would only get more difficult; but at least they had each other. The telling of Roy and Riza's struggles in their fight for a better future, for themselves, and for their country.
1. Checkmate

Chapter 1: Checkmate

Central City, Amestris, 1922

General Roy Mustang marched down the Central Command Headquarters' corridors toward the Führer's office. To his left and a step behind, his adjutant Riza Hawkeye accompanied him upon his request. It wasn't completely certain, but they both knew what he had been called for. They walked in silence but a million things were running through their minds. There was a glint in his eyes, the hope of a dream about to come true.

"Do you think this is it?" he interrupted her stream of thoughts.

She smiled. "I would bet on it, sir."

"We have come a long way, Lieutenant Colonel."

"Yes."

They reached the wooden door. She stood with her back against the wall, hands folded and perfect soldier posture, but a soft expression on her face.

"If it is what we think, General, I'd like to invite you to a little celebration dinner."

He looked pleasantly surprised; she rarely suggested a reunion outside the workplace. But he knew what this was about. They deserved a moment of their own to contemplate what they had done so far. Years of hard work and sacrifice had finally gained their reward; or so it seemed.

"Sounds like a plan. Should I bring Snow?"

"Oh, Hayate would be thrilled."

He looked at her knowingly. "Then let's hope for the best."

Riza didn't care having to wait outside. Whether it was good news or bad news, she would be the first to know. Roy knocked firmly and a private opened the door. Three huge drachman matryoshka dolls in a corner of the room depicted the eccentricity of the old man sitting at the desk under the window. The General saluted him.

"Mustang! Come on in!" Grumman waved his hand in invitation before grabbing a folder from one of his assistants. "The documents have arrived."

"What documents, sir?" Roy asked as he approached him.

Grumman smirked. "Everyone else, get out," he ordered to the three people working around him. When they were left alone, Roy sat down and Grumman continued. "Why don't we play a game of chess as we talk?" He set the board on the desk before Roy had the time to answer.

"Our favorite game. Of course." Roy's pieces were black making his opponent the first to make a move.

"In six months from now, I'll retire."

Roy moved a pawn. "I'm aware of that, sir."

Grumman sighed. "It's not been easy at all to repair the mess that Bradley and his people left us with." A piece went forward.

"You have done an outstanding job, however. After Central City was restored and the trials for those involved in the plan of the immortal army ended, people felt safer because they saw your accomplishments. Many have changed their view on the military."

"There's still so much to be done, though. But I'm afraid I won't have the time."

"One man can't do it all. No matter our efforts there will always be issues of some kind. That's what rulers are for. Doing the best they can during the time of their leadership."

"Ah… at least the wars are over."

"The biggest improvement in over a hundred years. There will be whole chapters written about you in history and politics books."

"Anyone with the rank of Führer gets that, anyway."

There was a pause as they continued their game in concentration. Minutes passed before Grumman talked again. "I will decide today on my successor."

Roy smirked. "I trust you will make the best decision, then. How many candidates have you been considering?"

"After a few long meetings with the Parliament they have left upon me the final decision among three people. There's General Armstrong, for starters. I have never seen such commanding presence; she intimidates me like no one else, quite frankly," he confessed accommodating his glasses. "So imposing, devoted to duty and intelligent, I wonder what would become of Amestris with her at the top."

"It may become an expansion of Fort Briggs. Even with peace treatments we're still vulnerable to attack if for any reason a foreign country wanted to bring a war against us. General Armstrong would make sure nobody crossed the borderline and we'd be always safe from unexpected assaults."

"Very true, very true. She does deserve more recognition for her capabilities. However, I don't believe our people are ready to accept being ruled by that 'survival of the fittest' philosophy. They will need someone more charismatic and inspiring in whom they can fully trust."

Roy nodded. "Probably, sir."

The pieces kept moving along the board. "The other candidate is Lieutenant General Henry Douglas, the Commanding Officer in West City. Not a full General yet but I wasn't one either when I got this position. He has proved to be extremely hard working and pragmatic. Persevering, too."

"Sincerely, I do not have a liking for that man. He's severe and I don't doubt his intentions are for the good of the people, but after a number of rumors and complaints about his persona, I consider him to be quite… despicable."

Grumman raised an eyebrow in curious attention. "Explain yourself."

"I've heard he tends to pull rank, even on officers that are not under his command."

"I see."

"Also, my Lieutenant Colonel, specifically…" Grumman raised his eyes from the game to set them on Roy. "…commented on having received lascivious remarks from him."

Grumman lowered his head and his lenses shadowed. "Why is it the first time I hear of this?" Roy could almost hear Douglas' name being crossed off Grumman's mental candidate list.

"She refuses to take matters into her own hands or even collaborate with me about it. She considers it a waste of time."

Grumman shook his head in disapproval. "That attitude doesn't mean he can't be a good Führer, but it definitely won't take him far either." He took one of Roy's pieces out of the board. "I believe though only the best strategist should be worthy of this post."

Roy moved a rook. "What about your third candidate, sir?"

Grumman chuckled. "You know you're my favorite, Mustang. I wouldn't be here if it wasn't for you." A white piece was moved. "Check."

The General freed his king. "But I did learn much of what I know from you. You earned this position yourself."

The Führer smiled. "This is not about favoritism, of course. But I would feel very inclined to choose you as my successor if you promised to take my granddaughter's hand in marriage."

Roy laughed. "Well, I can't promise you that, Grumman. It's not entirely up to me, she should have a say in this."

"Oh, but she's a smart woman; she wouldn't reject you."

"Checkmate."

"What?!" Grumman looked at the board. Indeed, Roy had just won the game. "Aaaah…" he scratched his head. "Well played, boy." Roy put the pieces back in the storage box as the older man took his notepad. "Your record is now 147 losses, 2 wins and 21 draws."

"It was a good game."

"Alright. I guess we'll both be very busy with paperwork the next few months."

"Aren't we always?"

"Oh, but this is different." Grumman took the folder of documents he had previously mentioned and passed it to Roy. "Would you help me by starting to sign these papers?"

Roy took a look at the first pages. He froze; his eyes opened wider and if there had been enough silence he could have heard his heart skipping a beat. He turned his attention back to Grumman. "…Sir?"

"Don't give me that look, Mustang. You _were_ expecting this."

"But- but you said you hadn't decided yet. This is already settled," he refuted confused.

"I _did_ say I would choose the best strategist, didn't I?" Roy didn't know how to respond anymore. He was completely transfixed. Grumman's face turned serious and his tone became that of no-nonsense. "Do you consider yourself both worthy and capable of leading this country?"

Roy straightened up. Indeed, this was the real deal. "I do."

"Then, there's nothing more to say." He opened a desk drawer and took out a gold fountain pen. "My granddaughter gave me this for my birthday; I use it for special occasions only. I believe your signature here would be a quite proper use of it," he said as he handed it to Roy. "In six months' time, Mustang, you will be promoted to the rank of Führer. Congratulations."

* * *

Riza waited patiently when she heard footsteps approaching her. A tall, blonde man with glasses walked to her and she saluted him.

"Lieutenant Colonel Hawkeye, tell me what's going on in there."

"It's a private meeting between Führer Grumman and General Mustang, sir."

"Oh, is it? Go back to work, then. Make yourself useful."

Riza glared at him but quickly concealed it. "I was ordered by General Mustang to wait here until he comes out, _Lieutenant General_." Roy hadn't really ordered her, but asked her, to wait for him. But she would not take idiotic orders from someone ranked lower than him.

"What are you, his dog?" he looked at the door for a moment to see if he could listen to what was going on inside, but nothing was heard except muffled sounds. "The Führer has asked me to come from Western Headquarters for important reasons. I'm telling you to leave; I'll take it from here. And if what you want is a chance of a faster promotion, you know where _my_ desk is."

Her face darkened. She couldn't believe this man had the nerve to actually talk to her like that. "Excuse my forwardness, _sir_, but I find what you're suggesting absolutely offensive and-"

"And what exactly do you think I'm suggesting, Hawkeye?"

"Lieutenant Colonel?" Both heads turned to the one calling her. Roy had just come out of the office and heard the last part of their conversation. Henry Douglas saluted Roy; Roy didn't even mind to address him, talking to his adjutant instead. "Is everything alright?"

She knew he could see right through her, but she wasn't about to create a commotion in the middle of the hallway; by the Führer's office door, none the less. "Yes, sir."

"Then, we can go." Roy turned his back to them and Riza quickly followed him. "Lieutenant General Douglas," he said slightly turning to him. "I believe the Führer is expecting you."

"Yes, thank you," the blonde said.

As Roy and Riza walked away from him, the tension fell. He looked sideways at her and she was looking curiously back at him.

"What happened there?" he asked her.

"Nothing of importance."

"Are you sure?"

"Of course. However… I believe _you_ have some news to share, don't you, General?"

"Oh, I do have something to tell you…" he smiled. "That's some fine pen you gave to the Führer."

Riza stared at him confused; then it suddenly dawned on her. Roy hadn't seen her smile like that in a very long time.


	2. Photo Album

Chapter 2: Photo Album

She knew it was him by his familiar knocking. Perfect timing, she had just finished arranging dinner. Black Hayate was eagerly sniffing under the door, waving his tail. He knew Roy hadn't come alone. Riza ran a hand through her short hair and opened the door. She was immediately assaulted by a pair of big paws and a happy bark.

"Oh!" she said startled. Two other smaller creatures ran past her towards Black Hayate.

"Snow!" Roy scowled.

"It's okay," she told him as she scratched the white dog behind the ears. The animal soon returned to the floor. "Good girl." Snow abandoned Hawkeye's side as soon as she spotted the male, and all four pets quickly indulged in a game of jumps.

"Evening, General. Please, come in." Roy entered the apartment and raised his hand to show her the bottle he'd brought. "Oh, this is great. Thank you." She took the wine and walked into the kitchen.

He took off his coat as he followed her. "Where's White Katana?"

She smiled. "She's a sleepyhead; must be on my bed." She left the bottle on the table.

He raised an eyebrow. "You're lucky. The boys have so much energy I have to throw a toy for them to fetch until my arm hurts."

"That's perfectly normal for puppies," she said as she indicated him to take a seat. The table was already set. "I may have to take her jogging in the future." She opened a drawer and grabbed a corkscrew.

"Do you need some help?"

"No, thanks." She opened the bottle and served two glasses as she asked, "Are you hungry yet?"

His lips twisted upwards. "I was a little, until I smelled whatever you have there on the counter. Now I'm starving."

She grinned. "Alright." She turned for a moment and took a skillet before laying it on the center of the table. It was a steaming lasagna.

Roy marveled at it like he hadn't eaten in weeks. "This looks delicious!"

"I was surprised when you turned down the men's offer to a bar. We could have postponed this."

"And miss your home-cooking? I don't think so. You asked me first, besides. And they would have hardly been able to keep their mouths shut when drunken. We don't want the press to know just yet."

"True." She put a salad bowl next to the lasagna and made to sit down, but something called her attention. "Hey, look who's here."

Roy turned and saw a white puppy had entered the kitchen. "Hello!" he said to Katana. "I bet you smelled the food, huh?" He patted her head.

"I fed her and Hayate about an hour ago. Have yours eaten?"

"Before coming, sure."

Two little black dogs found their sister, and she ran around the table before going to the living room as they followed her. Roy and Riza laughed and she finally sat down.

"So." She took her glass, grinning. "Soon-to-be Führer of Amestris... Congratulations once more."

He nodded, a smile growing bigger by the second. "I'd be long dead if it weren't for you, so you made this possible. Thank you."

After a short pause, she said, "I'm proud of you, Roy Mustang."

"It is mutual."

She raised her glass and he did the same. "To a beautiful future."

He smirked. "To our future." She didn't miss the double entendre.

They toasted and drank their wine in unison. As they had dinner, they remained mostly silent except for a few occasional comments and animated smiles, until he felt the need to break the quiet.

"I'm sorry, I have to ask."

She raised an eyebrow. "About?"

"Did Douglas tell you something that bothered you, today?"

She rolled her eyes. "Forget it, please. It was the same as always. Nothing to worry about; they're just words."

He tightened his grip on the fork. "How did he even make it to Lieutenant General, anyway? He was a Military Police officer."

"He was a Colonel like you by the Promised Day. When the top brass got murdered or arrested he decided to run for high office. You know how many got promoted the following months; he started to climb the ladder."

He sighed. "The bastard. He was also the responsible for Ross' incarceration. Poor woman wasn't even investigated properly and ended up scheduled for execution."

"But you saved her life, and she became an invaluable ally."

He frowned. "I'll have to do something about that man when I become Führer."

She smiled. "If you think you have to..." She noted his plate was empty. "Do you want some more?"

"No, thanks, I'm full. You should really invite me more often, Lieutenant Colonel. This was a delicacy."

A smile tugged at her lips. "Thanks, but you don't need to flatter me." She got up and put the dishes in the sink. Then she walked past him. "Come, I've got something to show you."

Curious, Roy walked behind her and sat on a two-body couch to her side in front of a coffee table. She took a big, seemingly old book from the table and put it on her lap as she explained, "I found this last week, but I barely skimmed through it." She opened it between them; it was a photo album.

He stared with interest at the first page. There was a blonde little girl on a swing. She had cropped hair and a summer dress. He recognized her immediately.

"Hey, that's you!" he told her. She nodded in response. "You were so tiny." She laughed. "I remember that day. Didn't I take that picture?"

"No, that was my father. But you were around so it's no surprise that you remember it." She turned the page. "This one, though. You took it."

The picture showed the same girl sitting on the grass, holding a rabbit. "You're right, I took that one. I caught that rabbit, too…" he frowned in thought. "What happened to it?"

"We let it go."

"Right…" Riza turned the page and Roy froze. He covered his face with his hand and muttered against it, "You little devil." She laughed heartedly. "I can't believe you kept this one."

"Well, of course. It wasn't everyday I got to find you asleep on the table and had the chance to put a flower crown on you."

He squinted. "You could have at least told me before I went to speak to your father."

She shrugged. "I'm still not sorry."

Other pictures showed Riza cooking, a soft-featured Roy reading a book under a tree, a stuffed dog in the center of a transmutation circle and Roy's palms on the floor over the chalk lines, Berthold Hawkeye with a hand on his daughter's shoulder who was standing next to him. A collection of different things they lived together when he stayed in his master's house.

As the pages were turned he felt like making a journey to the past, being reminded of the place he had come from. He suspected that had been Riza's main intention when she decided to show him the book. He would soon rule the country; Amestris' destiny would depend on him. A long time ago, when he was barely a young adult, and he hadn't yet suffered the horrors of war, he had innocent dreams. The world would never be the way he had dreamed of once, there had been too much blood spilled for it to be completely healed; but he would take all that pain and damage and turn it into something positive. He would make a difference. And he knew he would need Riza by his side to do it. Even after everything she had been through, he was thankful she had chosen the same path in the end.

Roy frowned, thoughtful. "You know, I don't think I ever asked you." She turned to him. "When you were younger, what did you want to be when you grew up?" She lifted an eyebrow. "I mean, most girls don't dream of entering the military. I know you didn't."

She shook her head. "You're right."

"So? A doctor? A lawyer?"

"I wanted to be a teacher," she said softly.

He blinked. "I see... You would have been a great teacher; you're strict but gentle, too. And kids like you. I'm sorry it didn't turn out that way."

"It was my choice. I am where I want to be."

He nodded.

They continued to see the photographs, those Riza hadn't yet seen lately. There were some of their teenage years, of her alone, of him alone, of them together; one where she was cutting a cake and he was dipping a finger into it, one where they were playing chess, one where he simply held her by the waist and she looked at the camera with a very shy smile and a barely visible blush. The last one called his attention.

"Such a nice picture! How come I've never seen it before? I don't even remember having it taken."

She smiled. "I kept it to myself for some time. It was the only decent picture of us together."

He observed the image again. "Why do you look embarrassed?"

She bit her lower lip and evaded his eyes. "I may have developed a little crush on you back then." She didn't mind telling him about it. It had been too long since those days and they rarely kept any secrets from each other anymore.

He stared at her silently for a moment. "Really?" She nodded slowly. He tried hard not to grin as widely as he was feeling like. "I had no idea."

"You were not supposed to know."

He chuckled. He hadn't expected that kind of revelation but he was glad he knew now. "You have a camera, right? Why don't we take a picture together?"

"What, now?"

"Why not? Just don't keep it only to yourself; I'll want a copy of it."

She smiled. "Fine."

He watched her as she looked for her camera and laid it on a shelf in front of them after setting the timer.

"Ten seconds," she told him before sitting next to him.

He hugged her and she questioned him with a look. "We need to recreate your embarrassed expression," he explained.

"I can't be embarrassed by a simple hug anymore, General."

"Time's up. Smile." She smiled slightly at the camera and as a light flashed, Roy kissed her cheek.

She was clueless as to what face she had made when the photograph was taken. She just knew she was surprised, then confused, then uncomfortable. He didn't have to be affectionate with her; didn't he know by now how she liked it more than she should?

He looked at her; he didn't need to ask what she was thinking. He just embraced her tighter, softly pressing her head against his chest; she didn't reject him. "I bet that was a wonderful picture."

"I bet you ruined the picture." He laughed and she felt the vibration through his shirt.

A silence invaded them, but it wasn't an awkward silence; it was a pleasant one. They enjoyed being in each other's company, and had grown used to the other's presence over the years in all kinds of environments: the office, the battlefield, the social gatherings, the few intimate moments they managed to get; where sometimes they talked about personal matters, and sometimes they spoke without words.

Riza allowed herself to relax in his arms, and he looked into her eyes. It was still there, he knew; the pool of restrained emotions. He wanted to say something to her, do something, but she also knew. And as much as they knew, they couldn't. It was frustrating. He gave her a wry smile and she just kept staring back at him. Oh, how he wished they could!

A few more minutes passed, a few more minutes wouldn't hurt. Her breathing was calm and even, her upper body warm over his. The more he stayed in that position, the more difficult he found it to get up; exactly the reason why he made up his mind to do it. He breathed in deeply and let out the air slowly, tiredly.

"I should get going," he announced before he disentangled himself from her and stood up.

"Yes." She stood up as well.

He found all five dogs resting together, the two male puppies playfully biting each other's ears and neck. "Come on, Snap, Spark," he called them. "You too, Snow." The brothers obeyed him quickly but their mother didn't move. She was licking White Katana's face.

Riza was moved by the sweet exchange and sympathized with her. "You can stay if you want," she said to Roy. He was taken aback and she immediately corrected her offer. "I mean, you can take the couch."

He smirked. "No, thank you; I'd rather leave. Maybe some other time?"

"Of course." Some other times, when they had chances in the past, he hadn't stayed either, but she would still ask.

"Snow!" he called again. This time the dog walked towards him. Riza opened the door and he stepped out. He smiled. "Thanks again for dinner. It was delicious."

"Thank you."

He sighed and then said soberly, "We're only six months away, Lieutenant Colonel."

She nodded. Away from achieving his goal, she understood. Away from each other, he had meant. Six months were nothing compared to the long time they had been waiting for it. They were almost there.

"Goodnight, General."

"Goodnight."

He turned away and walked through the hallway, being followed by his three loyal dogs. When he reached the stairs she lost sight of him, and finally closed the door. She crouched down against it and Black Hayate nuzzled her hand; she hugged him tightly.


	3. Führer

Chapter 3: Führer

It was a wonderful morning. The day had finally come. In a matter of hours, Grumman would relinquish the power to Roy in a public ceremony. Riza had barely managed to get some rest the previous night, since she couldn't stop thinking about the safety measures that would have to be taken during the event, the commotion she would have to brace herself for, and the joy and pride she felt for her commanding officer.

Before getting on her car to go to Headquarters, she spotted the newsstand across the street and approached it. Most of the newspapers and magazines talked about the same thing on their cover. Some headlines were '_End of Grumman Era'_, '_Is Mustang the next Bradley?'_ and a women's magazine cover read '_Roy Mustang: hot and single'_. Riza snickered at that. The one that called her attention the most, however, read '_Mustang becomes Führer'_. She bought a copy of that.

* * *

A multitude waited impatiently for the new Führer to appear on stage and get on the podium as Grumman made his last statement. A huge national flag behind him represented every single person in the amphitheatre.

Backstage, a tall, handsome man with slicked raven hair and military issued uniform with four stars on his epaulette remained soberly calm and content. He couldn't say he wasn't nervous in the slightest, but he was used by now to speaking in front of big audiences. He had prepared himself for this event for most of his career. He was accompanied by his ever-loyal Lieutenant Colonel Hawkeye and Captain Havoc, among a few other officers in charge of his personal security. Every spot in the city with sights to the stage had been covered to ensure the safety of both the old and the new Führers of the country.

Grumman stood solemn as he finished talking through the microphone before him. "It is with enormous pride and pleasure I now introduce to you, Mr. Roy Mustang, the new Führer of Amestris."

That was his cue. The crowd exploded in applause as the Flame Alchemist finally made his appearance and saluted the old man. Riza positioned herself near the wall to his left, his weaker side; and Jean to his right. As the noise dissipated he noticed everyone he knew sitting at the first few rows. The Elrics, the Hughes, the Armstrongs, the rest of his team and his aunt among others. He was ready.

He took a deep breath and began his speech. "Citizens of Amestris, thank you for gathering here today."

Hawkeye and Havoc shared a look. He was doing it; their lifelong friend and commander was living his moment.

"It is a great honor to be the Head of State. I will take this power with responsibility and commitment. Following Grumman's lead, this country will undergo several changes in the coming years that will only be for the good of the people. As a soldier who has experienced the war first-hand…" He made eye contact with Gracia Hughes. "As a man who has lost dear friends, both in the battlefield and in the search of truth and justice…" He looked back at the crowd. "It is my dream and my intention, to prevent that from ever happening again."

There was a pause as a short clapping was heard throughout the place.

"The future of Amestris is clear. I will work hard to restore the image of the Amestrian Military and make it an organization that can be trusted and respected by every man and woman born within these borders as it once was.

I've had your support during the restoration of Ishval. It hasn't been an easy nor a quick feat. It took a big effort on our part, and years later we're still constructing buildings and developing the economy aspects of the region. But all of that wouldn't have been possible without the collaboration of the Ishvalans, who confided in the State to do it.

As the Führer, I will do everything humanly possible to ensure your safety and wellbeing. I will look after you."

He turned to Riza and she nodded encouragingly. He continued.

"But I'm only human, and I can't do it alone. So I will ask of you, to protect the ones you love, so they can protect the ones they love in return. As such, we will have built a strong, unbreakable brotherhood through a chain of collaboration. We are one country, and if we all unite as one strong entity, then nothing will ever tear us down. We will function as one, and we will head towards a new era of constant growth and prosperity. Thank you."

He smiled and the audience gave a standing ovation. There was an announcement and everyone stood on their places as the national anthem started to sound. The first time it did so with Roy at the top. Covertly, he looked at Riza again, whose eyes shone with emotion. He winked at her, then took an intake of air and observed the scene before him. These were the people he would protect.

* * *

The post-ceremony party was held that same night at Central Palace, the fanciest hotel in the city which had a huge elegant events room. The attendants were the highest ranked military officers and their spouses as well as the Parliament members and Roy's personal guests.

After everyone arrived, they proceeded to the traditional waltz. The Führer's first dance was with the widowed Mrs. Bradley, the ex-First Lady. The woman knew how to move on the dance floor despite her age, since she was used to military galas. Then he danced with May Chang, the seventeenth royal princess of Xing; now also known as Alphonse Elric's girlfriend.

As etiquette dictated, the next one was General Olivier Armstrong. He didn't even try to hide the smirk as he took her hand.

"General Armstrong."

"Führer Mustang," she addressed as they started moving. "I guess I have to congratulate you."

"I appreciate it."

Her face darkened. "Mess it up just once, you lucky son of a bitch, and I will not hesitate to kill you."

He smiled in return; this wasn't a surprise to him at all. "Is that a threat to the Führer, General?"

"Just a warning."

He nodded and found Riza in the crowd waiting for her turn. "Don't worry, though. I already made someone promise to shoot me if I stray from the correct path."

Finally, he was able to dance with his dearest subordinate. She donned an elegant black gown since the dress code was formal wear rather than the military uniform. The only exception was the newly-ranked Führer, who was also required to carry all of his badges in sight on the blue fabric.

"You made it, Führer," she said happily.

"We made it," he corrected her.

They swayed silently; there was still too much attention on him for them to feel at ease. But it was their first dance together with him as the Führer, and they enjoyed it greatly, etching the moment in their memories to always remember it. Their time was short, however; he had to move on and take another woman for a round. Among them were Winry Rockbell-Elric and Gracia Hughes, but they were followed by other female military officers and wives of the higher-ups whom he hadn't even met before. If he could have been honest, he would have stopped after Riza.

Eventually, everyone sat at their tables and had an exquisite dinner while seeing a few entertaining shows. Roy's table occupants weren't the most fun of the room, unfortunately. But the assignments were, however, politically correct. With him were the ex-Führer Grumman, the young Emperor of Xing, Ling Yao; General Armstrong, Lieutenant General Douglas and, thanks to his insistent requests during the past few weeks, Lieutenant Colonel Riza Hawkeye, who accepted to join him at the table as his personal assistant and bodyguard rather than his friend and second-in-command.

Jean Havoc and his second-time pregnant wife Rebecca, Fuery, Breda and Falman had a table for themselves not far from his. Edward sat at another with his wife and kids, as well as Alphonse, May Chang and Lan Fan.

"So the North-East joint winter training will be held at Briggs this year, then," Olivier said. "What about the South-West one?"

"We're still deciding upon the place," Douglas answered. "But South City looks the most likely."

"I see."

"How are the preparations going for the Xingese New Year, Emperor?" Riza asked Ling. "I hear they are impressive celebrations."

"Oh, indeed, they are. We celebrate for over two weeks and the streets become an incredible scenery; traditional decorations wherever you look. There are public shows of martial arts, alkahestry, dances and theatrical representations of historical events. You should come and see it for yourself one day."

She smiled. "I'd really love to."

"And the food! You just have to taste that food!"

"I have!" Grumman interrupted. "Such exotic flavors!"

Ling Yao's eyes brightened up. "I know! There's Chow mein, Kung Pao chicken, Won Ton soup!"

Riza wished she knew what he was talking about, but she could just smile kindly at his excitement.

"All of that sounds delicious," Roy said. "But now, if you'll excuse me," he said as he got up. "I feel like dancing tonight more than discussing these matters." He extended a hand towards Riza. "Lieutenant Colonel, would you join me?"

"Of course." She took his hand and they walked to the dance floor where he embraced her appropriately to follow the soft jazz rhythm.

Now he wouldn't have to abandon her quickly for his duty of dancing once with every woman; that had already been taken care of. If she allowed him (and he was sure she would), he would only dance with her for the rest of the night.

They heard the whispering, and noticed the looks the others gave them. They knew everything about the rumors that had traveled around the military, but they were never fazed by them. And tonight, with a historic change for Amestris, but also for Roy's life, he decided it wouldn't matter anymore. The Führer was dismissed of many of the rules by which he'd had to abide for the entirety of his career. That aspect had become, although not the only one and not the main, an important goal that fueled his will to reach the top.

"I can't thank you enough," he told her.

She smiled. "For sitting with you? I just didn't see what part I would be taking in a table full of politicians."

"No, but thanks for that too. And you better get used to it, anyway." She lifted an eyebrow. "I meant this day. My promotion. Nothing of this would have been possible without your involvement."

"And without yours, either. I don't think I could have become Führer on my own if I tried, you know."

He laughed. "Maybe not. But you'll work hand in hand with the Führer himself."

"Oh, of course. I'll still watch your back and make sure you don't procrastinate."

"I hardly do that anymore."

"I know."

He held her closer as they kept dancing.

"You know these past few months I've been traveling a lot, meeting people, participating in conferences and having interviews." She nodded; she knew just as much for she had been there. "I did everything in my power to gain the citizens' trust and support. Still I feel like something's missing."

"Something like what?"

He smirked. "You know my reputation as a philanderer."

She tried hard to hide a grin. "It's true. It was beneficial in the past, but it can't continue with you being the ruler of the country. It's degrading, really."

"And therefore, I know exactly what I have to do to change that."

"Please, enlighten me."

"I'll finally follow Hughes' advice to get myself a wife."

She was so surprised she skipped a step, and he had to hold her tighter to prevent her from tumbling. "Oh… well… it's certainly the best way to be seen as a decent man and give a good example to the young ones." She lowered her head to avoid eye-contact. "And I have no doubt hundreds of women would want to become the new Führer's wife. Many of them must be smart enough to fit the role."

"I don't think you're paying attention, Lieutenant Colonel. I don't have the time nor the intention to start dating women."

She frowned in confusion. "You already have someone in mind?"

He neared his face to hers and tightened his grip, making her face him. Then he spoke in a low voice, so only she could hear. "How about the one woman who has been through hell and back with me?"

She froze and stared at him in shock. It couldn't be what she thought! "You don't mean…?"

He smiled confidently. "Can you do me a favor?" She blinked in confusion as he took something from his pocket and put it covertly in her hand, which she then fisted. "Would you go to my room and wait for me? I can't exactly leave my own party without saying goodbye to some people."

"Wait, you're leaving? So early?"

"Please."

After a moment of hesitation, she sighed. "Alright."

He left her side and she opened her hand to see the object. It was a key for room 611. Since it was a hotel, the event's assistants had the possibility of getting a room for themselves if so they wished. It was particularly useful for those inebriate enough to be unable to drive home, or those who stayed the entire night and preferred to rest for a while before leaving. Roy's team and closest friends had all decided beforehand to get rooms so they could have a more relaxed and personal breakfast together the following morning.

Riza wondered briefly if she should tell anyone that she was leaving for the night, too; since she anticipated the very private conversation she was about to have with Roy would last a long while. Her friend Rebecca seemed to be having an interesting conversation with the men in her table. The Elrics also seemed to be entertained, and she didn't want to bother Gracia or Elicia, so she finally abandoned the banquet hall and went to the sixth floor of Central Palace.

She didn't show it on the outside, but internally she was nervous. Roy had been quite clear with his proposal, and with everything they'd gone through together and the insinuations she had tried to ignore in the past but couldn't, she guessed she should have seen it coming. She wasn't happy, though; even if there was no doubt in her heart of her feelings for him. There were many things in her mind that prevented her from enjoying the moment and getting her hopes up.

However, the talk was imminent and they owed it to each other. They had evaded the topic for years but actions had spoken where words could not. And despite her worries and fears about it, she was eager to tell him what she had kept in her chest for a lifetime, and listen to his own confession as well. So she finally entered Roy's room, which was across from hers, and waited for him.


	4. Proposal

Chapter 4: Proposal

Roy had just finished thanking everyone for their presence and excusing himself as he prepared to confront Riza. He couldn't wait to formally propose to her and finally hold her in his arms as he told her how much he loved her. He reached the door that connected the party room to the hotel lobby and was startled when he took the handle and someone talked to him.

"Hey, Führer."

He turned around to see a blonde young adult grinning at him. "Fullmetal. What do you need?"

Edward showed him the palm of his right hand, the one that had once been of auto-mail. He was holding a few coins. "I'm just canceling my debt."

Roy frowned in confusion for barely two seconds; then opened his mouth in surprise as he understood the situation. Many years ago, Roy had lent Ed a few coins to make a phone call, who later promised to give them back once the then-Colonel became Führer.

He pointed with his index finger at the small objects counting the total amount of money. "Are you sure this is it?"

Ed glared at him. "Five hundred and twenty cenz. That's all you had on you back then."

"Alright, alright." He took the coins and put them in his pocket. He smiled at him. "I can't believe you remembered."

The ex-alchemist snorted and extended his hand. "Congratulations."

Roy took it proudly. "Thank you, Edward."

The blonde man turned to leave, but stopped after the first step. He faced Mustang again and grinned sheepishly as he scratched his head. "I almost forget. I need to call Pinako."

"There's a phone booth in the lobby."

"Yeah, I saw it… can you lend me some coins?"

Roy's eyes grew wide. "You have to be kidding me!"

"Oh, come on. I'm sure you don't need them, anyway."

He groaned and handed him the coins. "You owe me again."

"Right. Don't worry, I'll give them back to you… when you become President."

He blinked, then chuckled. "I'm not sure I'll get to that, but I will try. I want my money back."

Edward smiled confidently as he watched Roy. He didn't doubt this man would make it. "I'll see you around," he said as he walked away.

Roy smirked. "I'll see you in the morning."

* * *

Riza moved the curtain and looked out the window. The internal garden was beautiful under the moonlight. There were some people in the pool, and some just walking around enjoying the nightly breeze.

She heard the door she had left unlocked being opened, and turned to see the man getting inside.

"Sorry to keep you waiting," he said before turning the key and locking them in.

"It's okay."

He took a few steps and lay on a chest of drawers.

"…It feels unreal to finally achieve something I've wanted for decades. It's the biggest responsibility I've ever had, too." She walked to the center of the room to be nearer to him. "I'll still need you with me or so help me I think I won't be able to bear it."

"I'll be there, I told you."

"Yeah…" He crossed his arms over his chest and looked her directly in the eyes. "I know you never really liked the military. You just did what you believed you had to."

He was getting at something, she knew; but he didn't continue. "So?"

"Don't get me wrong…" He rubbed the back of his neck with one hand. He wasn't relaxed, clearly. "Maybe it's time you work on something less… structured. Something more directly involved with the citizens as you help me keep their support, perhaps?"

She furrowed her brow. "I'm not sure I'm following you, sir."

He huffed and looked at the carpeted floor. "Sorry, I thought it would be easier to do this." He smirked. "Maybe I should have written a second speech."

She watched as he approached her and stopped right in front of her. She looked in his eyes for the words he wasn't saying. He smiled nervously and tilted his head barely to one side as he faced her.

"You've been beside me for the biggest part of my life," he said. "…I want you to stay with me for the rest of it."

Her expression changed drastically from frowned with confusion to appalled with understanding. She breathed in deeply as she observed in shock how Roy Mustang bent down on one knee. Her heart increased its beating speed and her body heated up. She had pictured this only in her most secret fantasies, but never believed it would come true. How wonderful, how beautiful… how sad.

Roy took out from his pocket a black velvet box and opened it to reveal a shiny diamond ring; gorgeous, but small enough to be somewhat discreet. It broke her heart; she couldn't let him do this.

"Lieutenant Colonel Riza Hawkeye, I-"

"Stand up." He looked stunned at her; she was slowly shaking her head. "Please, stand up," she begged with sorrow. After a moment's hesitation, the man rose from the floor in silence, wishing for an explanation. She closed the small box in his hand and painfully said, "I can't marry you."

There was a pause. He wanted to read her but couldn't see any reasons behind her action. Softly, hurt, he asked "…Why?"

She closed her eyes and sighed, then opened them again to stare directly at him. "I need to protect you. I can't do that if I become your wife." He took a small step closer to her. "I could be used against you, and I need to be out of the enemy's radar and gun-ready if anything happens to you, Gener- Führer," she corrected herself.

"I could have a hundred bodyguards now and nobody would question it. You're good at what you do, but you're not the only one."

"I need to watch your back." Her eyes were watery, he realized. She was rejecting whom she wanted the most. "I need to be there, making sure you don't do anything stupid."

He took another step closer, invading her personal space. He was notably dismayed. "That promise still stands. No one's going to take your guns from you. I'm not asking you to be a stay-at-home wife; I would never ask that of you. We'll still share the office. If I am to travel, I'll take you with me. Same as always, except, maybe… we'll also share a home," he finished with a wry smile. She moved to sit on a side of the bed and buried her head in her hands for a moment; it was overwhelming. He sat next to her and lay his hand on her back. "What is really bothering you?"

"I wasn't expecting this," she said against her palms. "I was just going to be your right hand and personal support."

He took her hands away from her face. "And you'll still be."

She looked at him with a stern visage. "But we can't hope for a happy future. You know as well as I do that things may end terribly for the two of us."

Once Roy turned the country into a democracy and relinquished the power to the Parliament, they both knew, there would be consequences. Those who had been war heroes would be considered nothing but criminals in times of peace.

He groaned. "So because we may or may not be tried, in who even knows how many years, you refuse to enjoy the time we have left?" She lowered her gaze. "Or is it that you think you don't deserve happiness?"

She shook her head. "No; it would be hypocrite on my part to think that. You wouldn't deserve it either, or anyone who participated in the war."

"Then?"

She hesitated for a moment. "…I don't want us to live an illusion."

He stared at her perplexed. "An illusion?"

"Do you remember when we were younger, and had all those innocent dreams? We can't afford to pretend everything will be just fine, and ignore what's coming for us."

"Hawkeye, look at me." She obeyed. "I love you." Her facial features smoothed as she watched him with big, shiny eyes. "I love you, and I'm not pretending it; I'm feeling it _right now_… And yes, we're going down, but we know what to expect. We have for a long time."

Her lips took the form of a small smile; her cheeks, the slightest tone of pink. "I love you too."

Roy chuckled. "We should have said that from the beginning." He extended the hand on her back to embrace her. "We may end up in jail, or even dead. But not just yet. We have a chance at a little happiness now, after many years. Why not take it?" She nodded slowly. "We still have a long way to go. Allow me to make you happy while I can… as we change this country together."

She bit her lip and nudged softly his side, where he kept the jewelry box. "You can ask me, now."

He grinned and stood up. "Please, don't say no."

She smiled. "I promise."

Roy took the same position as before, the ring on his hand, his eyes fixed on hers. Riza Hawkeye was the only woman he had ever loved, his closest friend, his pillar. She stood up in front of him. He was beaming.

"Lieutenant Colonel Riza Hawkeye… Riza…" She stared lovingly at him and nodded. "Will you do me the honor of being my wife?"

She smiled widely, her eyes creased with joy. She touched his hands before speaking softly. "Yes."

Roy had an ear-to-ear grin, his cheeks started to hurt with the prolonged gesture, but he didn't care. He stood up and didn't take his eyes off her until he took the ring out of the box and put it on her finger. With her hand in his, their eyes met; they were shining. They knew the mutual love had always been there. Sometimes they dreamed of it, sometimes they hoped, sometimes they lied to themselves to evade the pain. It didn't matter anymore; they were together now.

They embraced; he buried his face in her hair and she clenched his clothes as if her life depended on holding onto him. She felt a hand on her jaw and looked at him; how she adored his face. He was staring at her, half-smile and half-smirk. She smiled happily and closed her eyes. He kissed her chastely, just to make a first contact. It ignited her spirit, though, and she parted her lips to take it further. He gladly took the invitation and deepened the kiss, hungrily taking her lips as he realized he could never tire of them, so good they tasted.

She separated from his mouth and bit softly her wet lip as she looked at her fiancé. "We never kissed before," she contemplated.

"You're right." She smiled contentedly and rested her head on his shoulder. "I want to kiss you all through the night and make up for the time we lost. No, a night won't be enough."

She shook her head. "No, don't do that. Leave the past behind. If we only have our present, kiss me because you feel like it, at the moment."

His lips crushed against hers and he devoured her mouth with all the want he was restraining. After getting over the surprise, Riza answered with the same enthusiasm. He tightened the hug and she let out a very low sound of excitement, but he heard it and it drove him crazy; there was no turning back.

They stopped for air and immediately after he kissed her face; down her cheek, up her jaw, behind the ear, reaching her neck. Her dress was in the way; its top was high enough to cover the upper part of her tattoo. Roy hesitated; she brought her hands to his head and brushed his hair with her fingers. He found the zipper behind her and pulled it down a little, freeing her neck and shoulders. He didn't leave a spot unkissed. He returned to her mouth and felt her grin through his lips. He looked into her eyes and saw she was as joyful and eager as he was. A hand touched the tips of her hair on her nape, the other tentatively unzipping more her party dress.

He lifted an eyebrow and gave an inquisitive glance. "What do you say?" he asked huskily.

She stared adoringly at him, then pecked him, lay her head on his shoulder, smirked, and whispered to his ear. "About damn time."


	5. Morning Light

Chapter 5: Morning Light

Riza felt her body covered by a pleasant warmth as she woke up on her back under the fine bed linens. She opened her eyes and settled her view on the room illuminated by the sun. Early morning, she guessed. A soft breeze tickled her shoulder. Roy was sleeping deeply to her side, his breath reaching her skin. Immediately all of her memories from the night before returned to her. They'd made love for hours, and it had been the most wonderful, liberating, happiest experience she'd ever had. She'd been in love with Roy Mustang for so many years she couldn't recall how it even started anymore, but she didn't care about that.

She remembered the kisses he gave her; sometimes long, sometimes short and always full of love. The way he touched her; with the strength of a soldier and the force that came from a desire restrained for the longest of times, but still very, very gentle. She still had the physical sensation of him inside her, and it was amazing; she wished it lasted for as long as possible. Everything about last night had been perfect, everything had felt right. The awkwardness that often came with two people having sex together for the first time hadn't been there; it came naturally to them. They'd had no doubts, as if they'd always been in a relationship. And in a way, they had.

She stared at him and refrained from kissing him, afraid of waking him up. He looked so peaceful. She raised her hand to her face. She'd never seen a ring this beautiful before. She was engaged now. It was curious how such a small piece of jewelry represented something so great. She'd be a bride soon. Roy's wife. The First Lady. She wasn't sure yet how to feel about the latter. Both her life and his would have important changes in the months to come. She'd have to get used to them.

Something moved over her stomach and only then she realized Roy's arm had been resting across it.

"Hey," she heard him say.

"Good morning," she said softly.

He kissed her cheek. "Morning. Did you sleep well?"

She nodded and he smiled at her. She turned on her side and lay a hand on his chest, her face in front of his, almost touching it. They stared into each other's eyes for a moment, as they fully contemplated the situation they were in: they were a couple in love; they would get married. He held her head and slowly kissed her lips. When he released her, he ran a hand through her short hair.

"You're so beautiful," he whispered.

She grinned at him. "I'd say something similar, but I don't know if it'd be a good thing to boost your ego."

Roy chuckled and she kissed his chin. He embraced her and moved her to rest her upper body over his. "So…?"

"What?" she asked above his heart.

"How was it?"

"How was what?" she replied playfully. He only knitted his eyebrows and smiled sheepishly at her. She blushed. "…Great, Roy. It was wonderful. What do you want me to say? You were there. You know the answer to that."

He took her hand and stared down at the image before him. They were both still naked, Riza's bare torso pressed against his, the sunlight giving her a lovely shine, her hair disheveled after all the rubbing it had suffered against the bed during the night.

"I love you," he said.

She felt a hot shiver down her back, and then kissed his chest. "I love you too. I do."

He kissed her forehead. "We'll have to make a few arrangements. I don't want you having to report for duty as my assistant tomorrow."

"Hmm. Maybe I should retire."

He frowned. "No… You should keep your job to be an example to women."

"Well, what do you suggest?"

He took a moment before answering. "You'll keep your rank, but you'll be devoid of your current tasks... How does Senior Advisor sound to you?"

She smiled. "Good enough."

"It's settled, then. Later at some point we'll have to discuss your tasks as a First Lady, too."

"I'd actually love to support a few causes. I've never been involved in those, but it would be great to do so."

He combed her bangs with his fingers. "You'll be a wonderful influence," he said proudly. He relaxed on the pillow and closed his eyes in content. "By the way, I have some shocking news for you."

"Oh?"

"Starting yesterday, I'm the new Führer of this country."

"…Really?" she asked sarcastically. "I was not aware."

"I imagined so." He smirked as he continued. "...Since you kept calling me General last night."

She gasped. "I did not!"

He laughed and nodded. "You did."

She groaned and buried her face on his chest in shame. "…I'm sorry."

Roy rotated their bodies until Riza was flat on her back and he hovered over her. He pecked her mouth. "We can try again." His hand went down the side of her body until he got a hold of her thigh. "The more we practice, the faster you'll get used to the idea that I'm not your superior anymore. We're equals, Riza."

Her face muscles tensed as she suppressed a rush of emotion. "Yeah…"

He leaned in to kiss her, but they were interrupted by a knock on the door. Roy grunted, but ignored the sound and nipped softly her neck. They heard the knocking again.

"Roy…"

He sighed. "Fine."

He stood up and put on a robe before opening partially the door. Jean and Rebecca were outside. "Yes?"

The pair saluted him briefly. "Good morning, boss," the blonde man said. "We wanted to inform you that breakfast will be served in fifteen."

Roy nodded. "Alright. Thank you," he said nicely but with little interest. He began to close the door but a hand stopped him half-way.

"I'm sorry," Rebecca said. "Do you know where Riza may be? She's not in her room."

Roy blinked and avoided looking inside at Hawkeye; it would have given away that he was not alone. "I've no idea. I'm just waking up."

Riza snickered softly to herself when she heard the exchange.

"But she wouldn't have left, right? I mean, she would have told someone."

Roy noticed from the corner of his eye that his fiancé was approaching him covered in bed sheets. He couldn't help the little smirk on his face. "Have you checked the garden?"

"Yes, we come fro-"

"Ow!" Roy interrupted her. "Hold on a second." Rebecca lifted an eyebrow as Roy softly closed the door to her face. He turned to the woman hidden against the wall.

"Don't tell my pregnant friend to do a useless search!" she whispered hurriedly.

Roy pouted. "I was just going to suggest something else." Riza crossed her arms over her chest. "Alright, alright. You don't have to kick my leg."

He touched the handle again but, before turning it, he observed carefully Riza's figure from head to toe, and stole a quick kiss from her. Then, with a silly smile, he opened the door to see the couple was still there. Rebecca didn't look very happy.

"Sorry about that," the Führer said. "You were saying?"

Havoc showed him an amused smirk. "Never mind. Just make sure you come on time and tell Hawkeye about it if you see her."

"I will." Roy closed the door and the Havocs walked away.

* * *

"What was that about?" Rebecca asked Jean in a whisper.

He looked at her from the corner of his eye. "He was obviously with someone in there."

She opened her mouth in surprise. "You mean like a hooker?"

He laughed. "Nah, I don't think so. He doesn't have the same likes as me."

It took her less than two seconds to gasp with indignation. "Wha-"

"Kidding," he said quickly.

"You're an idiot!"

He extended an arm across her shoulders and held her as they walked. "Yeah, I know."

* * *

Roy embraced Riza tightly, and she returned the gesture wrapping him with some of the bed sheets that were covering her. "You look like an ancient goddess," he said. She stifled a giggle and he kissed her sweetly. "We have fifteen minutes."

"No, we don't. I need to take a quick shower and get clean clothes from my room."

Roy groaned. "Is it really necessary?"

"It is…" She turned her sight distantly at the floor for an instant and he looked questioningly at her. "I'll have to put on the party dress again to get out."

"You won't have to," he said, and began to untangle his robe's belt. "We can't risk having someone accidentally seeing you in the hallway with last night's dress." Riza watched in awe as he took the garment off and put it over her shoulders. She tried hard not to stare below his stomach. "They might think you spent the night in someone else's room," he said humorously as he turned away from her and walked towards the side of the bed.

She laughed silently at seeing his naked butt; it hadn't been twenty-four hours yet and he was walking around like that so confidently. Well, he had nothing to be ashamed of, really.

"…And that would be a lie?"

"And that would be… inappropriate for the future First Lady," he replied.

"Oh, of course."

She let the bed sheets around her body fall to the floor and tied the belt of the robe to a knot; all while enjoying the view of Roy changing into casual civilian clothing. She rolled her eyes when she realized that he was actually taking pleasure in being watched.

"So you don't have to be out there in a robe for long I'll go to your room first and open it for you. Then you'll cross the hallway when I'm done."

"Okay."

Once he was fully dressed, he walked up to her and handed her the dress and a small purse she'd left on a chair. Riza took out a key from the purse and gave it to him.

Roy opened his door and looked both ways of the corridor before deciding it was safe to get out. There was no one around, so he hurriedly went to Riza's room and unlocked it. His fiancé stuck her head out his room and was about to join him, but an unexpected sound echoed in the almost empty place and she stayed hidden inside.

Fuery stepped out of his room next to Riza's to find Führer Mustang at the Lieutenant Colonel's door.

He saluted. "Good morning, sir. Did you have a good night?"

"…The best."

"I'm glad. Are you looking for the Lieutenant Colonel? I think Havoc already told her about breakfast. He woke me up for that, in fact."

The taller man looked at the wall for a moment as he thought for a response. "He did? Well, I just wanted to make sure she's awake. I was going to check on you afterwards, actually."

Riza brought a palm to her face as she heard the conversation.

"Oh, that's kind of you, sir. I was going to the dining room already; I'm starving," Kain said with a happy tone.

"Then go ahead," he said kindly. "I'll be there in some minutes."

"Alright," he said as he walked past Roy. Before going far he turned his head to his superior again. "I don't think she's going to open if you don't knock, sir."

Roy laughed nervously and then knocked on the door. "You're right."

Fuery smiled innocently and finally left.

Roy looked at his barely open door and waved his hand at Riza to signal her to move. She went swiftly across the hallway to her room, and once inside she closed the door leaving him outside. As soon as his figure was blocked from her view, she pursed her lips, and flew open the door in a rush. Roy, who was already turning away, stared at her in confusion; but he didn't complain when she pulled him towards her by the collar and crushed her mouth to his.

After a moment, Roy tried to get rid of the robe she was wearing, but she was quick to separate from him and push him out.

"There's no time," she said.

Roy showed her a disillusioned expression, but even still he did as she wanted and left her alone.

Riza observed the perfectly tidy room before her. Unlike the one she had been in for the entire night, the bed was still untouched. There were no wrinkles on the pillows; no clothes on the floor.

She pressed her fisted hands to her chest and grinned widely, allowing a cozy feeling to run through her body. No matter what happened in the future, at this moment she was amazingly happy.


	6. Announcement

Chapter 6: Announcement

Roy entered the hotel's dining room to find his friends and subordinates at a large table. He was glad they had agreed to stay overnight, so they could all share a warmer and more personal celebration meal. There were only two seats left empty; one at the head of the table reserved for him, and one to his side for Riza.

"Good morning, everyone," he said sitting down.

He heard a mixture of voices when they replied to his greeting.

"We've been waiting for you, sir," Fuery said.

"Yeah!" said Breda. "Can we please start eating, now?"

Roy shook his head. "No. Lieutenant Colonel Hawkeye hasn't arrived yet. We'll wait for her."

Al frowned. "She's not usually the last one to show up, is she?"

"No," Havoc replied. "But we didn't find her this morning."

"I did," Roy said. "She'll be here in a minute." He looked at all the people in front of him, and raised an eyebrow when he saw the man at the opposite end of the table and the woman sitting to his left. "Are they alright?" Both Ling Yao's and Lan Fan's upper bodies were sprawled over the wooden surface; their eyes closed; immobile.

"Yeah…" Edward said. "This is just how they cope with their hunger."

There was an incomprehensible sound coming from the Emperor. Al leaned toward him. "What was that?" The sound was repeated. "Oh…" He turned to Roy and the others with an awkward expression. "He said _free food first, return to Xing later_."

Roy half-smiled at the comment. "I see."

Winry shifted the baby on her lap to a sitting position. "We'll be heading back to Resembool right after breakfast, too. We want to get there before it gets too dark."

"Well, that's understandable," May Chan said. "Since you brought the kids with you."

"How come you didn't bring your daughter, Havoc?" Edward asked. "We were expecting to see her."

Rebecca winced. "No way was I going to let her see all these men getting drunk."

Havoc laughed. "She's right."

"Good morning," Riza said. Roy grinned at hearing her voice. She was standing behind his chair. "Sorry I'm late."

Rebecca smiled at her. "You're not. Everyone here's just exaggerating."

Riza sat down. Roy raised his hand at a waitress. She approached them with a teapot, and two other employees followed her with a coffeepot and two trays full of just-baked pastries. Their warmth left a trace of a sweet aroma that expanded through the room.

Ling Yao's head shot up with a grin. "Good morning!" Some replied with soft laughs.

Riza felt something warm making contact with her knee, and looked down to see it was Roy's hand. They made eye contact and she smiled mildly at him, putting her hand over his.

"Riza!" She turned her attention to Rebecca. "Where have you been? Jean and I have been looking for you."

The blonde woman nodded. "Yes, the Führer told me. I did hear some knocking on my door earlier, but I was just entering the shower."

"Oh."

Fuery lowered his cup of coffee. "How are your kids growing, Ed, Winry? I didn't get to talk to you last night."

"Sara has taken her first steps a few days ago," Winry told him. "It took a little longer than we had expected, but she'll walk on her own pretty soon."

Edward grinned and patted the head of the boy sitting between Winry and him. "And this guy is a little monster. He runs around the house the entire day and screams for attention." He took the sugar bowl and served a few spoonfuls into his beverage. "He's gotten a little jealous since the baby was born, but he loves her too. And it looks like he's going to be very tall!" His last comment earned a giggle from the blonde four-year-old.

"Has he shown any interest in alchemy or auto-mail?" Riza asked.

Winry huffed. "Don't even ask. Ed's being a total pain about it; wanting to show him how to draw transmutation circles, when he can't even hold a chalk properly yet."

The child pouted. "Yes, I can!"

Riza laughed and winked at him. "I believe you." She extended her arm toward a tray.

Winry smiled. "That's a beautiful ring, Miss Riz- Oh my goodness!" she said, bringing a hand to her mouth in shock.

Her shocked expression brought everyone's attention. Riza smiled shyly as suddenly many people were focused on her left hand.

Rebecca's eyes grew big. "What the hell?!"

"No way…" said Ed.

"You son of a bitch!" At Havoc's words, heads turned to the person he was looking at.

Führer Mustang had a proud smirk on his face that clearly confirmed Jean's suspicions. Reactions varied from gasps to wails to stupefied countenances. Roy looked at Riza, took her hand and stood up, bringing her with him. He enjoyed seeing his friends' faces as they all learned the news.

"First of all," he said, "I want to thank every single one of you for being here, both last night and this morning. Your loyal friendship and support have been what helped me get to the place I am today. I will not forget that this was a teamwork success."

"Alright, alright," Havoc said. "Now explain the ring."

Roy laughed heartily. He could see everyone was expecting him to make the announcement. "On a second note, but not less important," he said turning to Riza. She was trying uselessly to conceal her grin and the blush on her cheeks. He held her firmly against him by the waist. "Yes, I proposed marriage to the Lieutenant Colonel." Before he could finish, he was already hearing gasps and muffled screams. Fuery started to weep. Riza stared at him lovingly and Roy grinned. "…And she said yes."

Shouting and clapping echoed in the big dining room and traveled through the hallways of the hotel. Immediately, both Roy and Riza were surrounded by their long-time friends; some hugging them, all congratulating them.

It was a warm moment Riza wished she could always remember in the future. These were her friends, sincerely happy about a change in her life she had secretly desired for the biggest part of her existence. Roy's friends, too. She was glad.

When the initial outburst faded, everyone eventually returned to their seats.

Rebecca shook her head. "I still can't believe it."

"But I don't understand," Winry said. "Were you together already?"

"No," Riza answered. "There is a rule in the military that forbids fraternization between officers of different rank. If we'd had a relationship in the past, we would have risked being court-martialed."

Alphonse looked at Roy. "You mean it's acceptable now, because you're the Führer?"

"In a way, yes; but not really," Roy answered. "Mainly, those relationships are prohibited if they compromise the chain of command, cause unfairness or appear to be for the purpose of a better chance at promotions."

Riza nodded. "In a work environment, besides, it's easy to have any display of affection considered improper behavior." She lifted her cup to her lips. "That would not only be a distraction both for the couple and the other employees, it would also steal work time, and there's zero tolerance for that." She took a sip of tea.

Ed huffed. "Yeah, I don't suppose you'll let him try anything in the office, Lieutenant Colonel."

Havoc grinned. "Well, we don't have to guess who the responsible one is going to be."

"Hey!" Roy said, his eyes wide. "I'm the Führer of this country. Don't you think I'm well aware of my own limits and responsibilities?" Fuery and Falman were the only ones who nodded in response. The rest kept quiet. Roy pouted and crossed his arms over his chest.

Riza touched his arm soothingly as she spoke to the others. "The responsible one, as you call it, can be either me, or him, or both of us; but of course, we'll behave accordingly to our positions. What's more, we will most likely be under inspection in the following months because of our engagement."

Edward frowned. "But what about you being his subordinate?"

"Of course, since he's the Führer, everyone is ranked below him. The difference is, I won't work directly under him as his assistant anymore. I'll keep my rank, but my duties will be more related to those of a counselor."

"Oh," Rebecca said, having paid close attention.

"That's right," Riza continued. "And a strong institution such as marriage would greatly debunk suspicions of ulterior motives, too, if inspectors were to think I could be after a higher rank."

Breda smiled. "You have it all figured out already, haven't you?"

"Actually, no," Roy said. "We barely talked about it this morning. We'll see later about the details. It's going to be a tough week for all of us."

Havoc sighed. "Yeah, no kidding."

Even though the Führer's office was prepared to receive Roy the next morning, they knew piles of paperwork would be waiting for them all concerning the initial changes that came with the new leadership.

Riza's reassignment would be quick and easy; the first thing Roy would work on when he sat down at his desk tomorrow. The not-so-easy part, would be having to explain his new relationship with her to the Generals and members of the Parliament. The idea of a subordinate-turned-First Lady, while keeping her rank as a Lieutenant Colonel, would not be immediately welcomed. He had his ways, though. He had always been good at manipulation. And he had the authority now, too.

"Since Riza won't be assisting me anymore," Roy said, "I'm going to need someone to replace her." He looked at his men, one by one, to emphasize he was talking specifically to each of them. "I'd rather have someone I already trust. Any volunteers?"

Havoc blinked and opened his mouth to talk, but just as fast he shut it. He looked at Rebecca and lay a hand gently on her stomach.

"Sorry, boss," he said. "The baby's coming in just two months and I'd rather not be too busy by then."

Roy smiled. "I understand."

"Führer Mustang, sir," Falman said. "I would be honored to be your assistant."

Roy nodded. "Thank you, Captain. I have no doubt you'll be an excellent aide."

"Sir," he responded with a salute.

Roy chuckled. "Please, at ease."

Riza took a bite of a croissant, suddenly feeling very hungry since she'd hardly eaten anything yet. Soon, she felt the weight of someone fixing their stare on her. She looked up to see Rebecca smirking confidently.

Riza raised an eyebrow. "What?"

Rebecca spoke softly, so as not to be heard by every person at the table. "You were there in his room this morning, weren't you? When Jean and I talked to Mustang."

She didn't answer her. Instead, after keeping her gaze on Rebecca for a moment, she showed her a small sheepish smile and covered it quickly with her tea cup; a soft shade of pink appearing on her cheeks.

The brunette nodded and grinned, stifling a laugh. "…Of course you were."

Roy extended his arm across the table and took Riza's hand. She closed her fingers around his; a serene smile on her lips as she continued having breakfast.

To the list of changes and new experiences, she would add the pleasure of not having to hide her feelings anymore.

* * *

Riza held Roy's arm as they examined the house they were in. It was a large, two-story brick building with a medium-pitched roof and a beautiful backyard.

A middle-aged woman scanned a clipboard on her arm while walking around the kitchen island.

"Construction ended barely a month ago," she said. "The basic services are already installed. It's all new and ready for move."

Roy nodded. "Now that we've taken a look at it in general, would you mind giving us a moment for a second look on our own?"

"Please, take all the time you need, sir, ma'am. I'll wait here."

"Thank you."

The couple walked through the living area and up the stairs.

"I can't wait to move in with you," Riza said; one hand sliding up the railing and the other in Roy's. "I keep coming into journalists every morning when I get out of my apartment. My neighbors are all but happy about it, too."

"I did tell you to stay with me above Madame Christmas' bar. I moved there a whole month before becoming Führer for that exact reason." He grinned. "And of course, nobody knows I'm staying there."

They reached the second floor and looked at the street beyond the front yard through a window. It was a quiet zone of the city; high in security and low in traffic. The neighbors were some of the wealthiest families of Central; the Armstrongs' mansion was not far away.

"And I was waiting to propose to you and arrange to live together," he said softly. "That's why I didn't buy anything right away."

Riza smiled tenderly at him and squeezed his hand. They walked into one of the rooms and to its open balcony.

"This house is beautiful. It's even close to Headquarters." She blinked for a second, thinking. "Excluding the apartment buildings, anything closer would be Mrs. Bradley's residence, now."

Roy chuckled. "It's a good thing we won't be up there the twenty-four hours of the day. I like the suburbs better."

"Me too."

He hugged her from behind. "When did you sell your father's house? Was it before or after the academy?"

She welcomed his gesture, leaning onto his chest. "After Ishval. By the time I graduated I'd already sold it. I knew then I'd never go back."

"It was too big a house for just you alone."

"It was." She turned her head to look at him. "And so is this one. It's smaller, but still big for only two people."

Roy shrugged. "I think it's alright."

"What are we going to do with five bedrooms, Roy? Give each one to a dog?"

He grinned. "I was thinking of a guestroom, an office, maybe a library…" He kissed the crown of her head. "We'll put them to good use; it doesn't matter right now. What I care about is whether we'll be making love in every corner of this house, or of another one."

She rolled her eyes. "We've seen five already. We should make a decision soon."

Roy looked down the balcony at the garden. "Have you seen that pool? I can imagine us spending the evenings there every summer."

"And have you being useless the entire season? I don't think so," she said, a playful tone in her voice and a smirk on her lips.

Roy hugged her tighter and whispered in her ear, "This could be our bedroom."

She looked up at the sky for a moment. The sun was setting. "…I love the fireplace."

"This one, then?"

She turned around, still in his embrace, and her arms circled his neck. She smiled warmly and nodded. "This one."

The Führer of Amestris kissed his bride-to-be, and a soft light from outside showered them with orange brightness, casting shadows of their figures on the floor of the spacious room.


	7. The Vows

Chapter 7: The Vows

Central City, Amestris, 1923

The breeze was warm when it touched Roy's skin. The sun was setting, but the beginning of the summer could be felt in the air.

He stared down; his face tense with a mixture of bitterness and acceptance, and the hint of a wry smile. The gravestone read the name of his best friend, the one who had once promised to push him to the top. The same man whose murder Roy almost took revenge over, a long time ago.

Riza took his hand, and he held hers tighter.

"Once, in Ishval…" he said.

Riza looked up at him.

"Hughes told me he couldn't wait to get back and propose to Gracia. I was angry; I didn't understand. I asked him if he could really hold the woman he loved with his hands stained in blood."

Riza frowned somberly.

"He got mad at me, and said he would swallow every horrible thing he'd done there and smile when he were with her." He took a deep breath and let it out. "I was sure I could never do such thing."

"What changed your mind?"

"You saw me at my worst. You saw me completely lose it, and you're still standing here." He turned to face her. "We're both murderers, your hands are as stained in blood as mine. You understand." He smiled sadly. "And I'd be a fool to ignore you when we've been through the same things, considering how much I love you."

Riza moved closer until their bodies touched. "Whether I consider myself worthy of you, or any kind of love, is not something I want to think over. I'm just glad I'm with you now."

Roy nodded. "Alright." He turned and leaned toward the grave, leaving a card against the stone.

_It is requested the honor of your presence at the wedding of_

_Führer Roy Mustang &amp; Lieutenant Colonel Riza Hawkeye_

"Don't think I wasn't listening to you, Hughes, all those times you told me to do it. Now you better be there on that day…" He lowered his voice. "Somehow."

* * *

The guests had all gathered at the appointed place. One thousand people, among which there were soldiers, politicians, photographers and journalists, besides close friends and family. Nationwide, the wedding would be broadcasted live on the radio. A ceremony of that range required a spacious place, so it would be held on the outskirts of Central City, under the open sky. Before them in the distance, the hills made a perfect view, and the security staff on them was hidden enough to prevent calling unwanted attention.

Roy's loyal team and the Elric family were on the first row to witness the wedding, as the spouses-to-be had requested.

"I can't wait to see Miss Riza in a dress," Winry said excitedly with Sara on her lap. "I still can't believe the day's here."

"Yeah, you said that already," Edward replied.

Heymans saw the sleeping baby Jean was holding to his chest. Thomas was only three months old and his mother was nowhere to be seen. "Is Rebecca with Hawkeye at the moment?" he asked.

"Yes. Jacqueline is going to be the flower girl so they're all getting ready together." He looked at the blonde boy next to Winry who was wearing a black tuxedo. "What about you, Henry? Are you ready?"

"Yes," was all he said, and proceeded to hold Winry's arm and hide his face against it.

"Do you know where they're going for the honeymoon?" Winry asked.

"There'll be no honeymoon," Jean said.

Winry and Ed both lifted their eyebrows. "Why not?" she asked.

Jean shrugged. "We're all going to Ishval in three days. It was scheduled months ago and Mustang and Hawkeye didn't want to postpone it. They're just going to have these few days by themselves."

Edward lowered his head. "That's too bad, but I know they both put Ishval before anything else."

"It's not really that important," someone said behind Ed.

The blonde turned to see Roy had joined the group. His hair was slicked back and he was wearing his uniform, carrying all of his badges, and a white sash across his torso.

"We have many years ahead of us to be together," he said. "We don't care about missing a trip when we have other things that need our attention."

"Hey boss, are you nervous?" Jean asked.

Roy crossed his arms. "More like anxious. I want this to start already, and being here just waiting is killing me."

Heymans coughed. "Can I talk to you two for a second?"

Roy nodded. "Sure."

The three men walked away from the crowd until they could have a private conversation.

"Alright," Heymans said. "Just to make things clear, are you sure you want to do this?"

Roy frowned. "Of course I am. Why do you ask?"

Jean snorted. "Oh, I know what this is about."

"You see. For Havoc's wedding, we had this secret code." Heymans lowered his voice and leaned closer to the Führer. "If you want to stop the wedding at any moment, you just have to cross and uncross your fingers twice. One of us will fake a heart attack and the ceremony will be interrupted."

Roy blinked for a moment; then laughed heartily. "You have to be kidding," he said. "I could never do that to Riza. I can't hurt her."

"I don't want you to do it," Heymans said. "I'm just giving you a way out, in case you regret it. But I hope you won't."

Roy smiled wryly. "Of course I won't. Had I been able to, I would have married her long ago."

Jean nodded, shifting the baby on his arms to accommodate him better. "I told you so."

Heymans put his hands up; palms facing Roy. "Alright, alright. I'm glad about the Lieutenant Colonel, then."

Roy touched Heyman's and Jean's shoulders. "And I'm glad I have friends who would go for all that trouble to help me…" He smirked. "…knowing Riza is bringing guns under her dress."

Heymans gulped and Jean froze in his place. Roy laughed as he left the pair, and went to talk to Madame Christmas who was nearby.

"What kind of bride would bring a gun to her wedding?" Breda asked.

"The Hawkeye kind, for sure."

"If he tells her, we're dead."

Jean shrugged. "Don't worry. I know Rebecca. She's probably giving her the same talk right now."

* * *

"I'm just saying, Riza! It's not too late if you want to cancel. We can just call and say you're not feeling well."

Riza sighed from behind the curtain. "Again, Rebecca. As much as I don't like seeing my face all over the newspapers, I'm still doing this. I love Roy. I'm not going to regret it, I know."

Rebecca put a hand on her hip and smiled. "As you wish."

Riza moved the curtain to the side and emerged from the fitting room. She looked into the floor-length mirror and regarded her reflection. She was stunned at her own image, having not imagined she would look this beautiful.

She had let her hair grow again, and it was now tied up in an elegant roll, with her bangs falling to the side of her face. Her dress covered her entire back, but gave her a decent cleavage up front.

A little girl showed up in the reflection next to Riza, looking at her. "Wow!" she said. She was wearing a white dress with soft pink petals.

Riza smiled. "Oh, look at you, Jackie. You look like a princess."

The girl's eyes lit up. "And you look like a queen!"

"Riza…" Rebecca smiled widely at her friend. "You look absolutely amazing. That dress is just perfect for you."

She smiled in return. "Thank you."

Rebecca approached her and touched her arm. "It's real now. You're getting married."

"I know, I…" She took a deep breath. "Some months ago I was sure this would never happen. I thought I'd just be the Führer's assistant for a very long time."

Rebecca took Riza's hand and walked her to a stool in front of a vanity. "You're going to be the First Lady."

Riza sat down and sighed. "I don't know if I'll get used to that, honestly. All that attention upon the two of us, it's not what I would have wanted once Roy became the Führer." She grinned. "But I want to be his wife. I _do_ want this."

Rebecca smiled. "And speaking of attention…" She took a pile of newspapers and magazines from a desk and put them in front of Riza. "I bought everything that mentioned the wedding. You may want to keep some of these."

"Oh, thanks, Rebecca. You shouldn't have bothered."

"Riza, please. You said yourself you were keeping the best articles. Of course I was going to get them for you today."

The first cover on the pile showed a picture of the couple posing soberly in front of the camera. The headline read_ Führer Mustang's wedding day_. Below it, in smaller words, it read _Military sniper of the Ishvalan war to be Amestris' new First Lady_.

"This is fine," Riza said. "I don't want people expecting me to behave any different than I am. They must know I'm a soldier."

"Not every article is good, though." She lay against the vanity. "Some say Mustang's returning a favor to you because you saved his life a few times. Or even that he's gotten you pregnant and you're just covering up a mistake."

Riza pursed her lips. "They're going to come up with stories for the sole purpose of making money."

Rebecca squeezed her friend's shoulder. "Don't worry about it. Focus on yourself today. This is your day, Riza." She shrugged. "And Mustang's, of course."

Riza took a deep breath. "Let's do this."

"Are you ready?"

She nodded. "Yes."

Rebecca smiled. "Shall I go call the old man?"

Riza nodded again.

Rebecca looked at her daughter. "I'll be back in a minute."

"Okay!" the girl said.

Rebecca left the room and Riza took her bouquet from the vanity. She turned back to the mirror. There she was, about to join her life with Roy in the only way she hadn't yet. About to be his wife. She closed her eyes and let herself be overwhelmed with joy.

For many years she had believed she would never get married, since the only man she'd ever loved was forbidden for her. An impossible love, and a dangerous one. She wouldn't have wanted to start a risky relationship with him, even if she knew how he felt about her because he was never too good at hiding it from her.

Today, however; or rather, since the night he proposed, everything changed for the two of them. After a lifetime of being together at the heart, but at a painful distance, they were finally able to spend the time they had left in each other's arms.

"Don't worry."

Riza turned to see the brunette girl by her side.

"You're going to be happy," she said to Riza.

Riza smiled at her. "I'm not worried."

Jacqueline touched the white dress delicately, as if it were fragile. "One day I'm going to get married too, and be happy."

Riza raised an eyebrow. "But you don't have to marry for that. You can be happy on your own, or just be someone's girlfriend if you're in love." She took the basket with flower petals and handed it to the girl. "Marriage is just one of the options."

She playfully grabbed some petals and dropped them back in the basket. "Then why are you getting married?"

Riza shrugged a shoulder and showed the girl a bright smile. "Because I can."

Jacqueline blinked but her attention soon went to the opening door.

"Riza," Rebecca called.

Jacqueline walked toward her mother with Riza following behind. Out of the room, the ex-Führer Grumman, her grandfather, was waiting for her. He had a huge grin on his face when he saw her.

"You're a beautiful bride, dear," he said.

"Thank you."

Because of the absence of the man through most of Riza's life, she didn't see him as family more than as a superior. However, she thought she'd feel her mother a little closer today, if she allowed her mother's father to give her away. It had been her decision.

"I'm very proud of you, you know?" He offered his arm and Riza took it. "Have I ever told you how much you look like her?"

Riza shook her head as a reply.

"Same eyes," he said. "Even same temper." He chuckled softly before getting back to serious. "She too, would be proud. I know it." Riza looked at him and he corrected himself. "No. She _is_."

Riza smiled.

* * *

The pianist started playing a soft melody and everyone looked at the end of the aisle. The groomsmen and bridesmaids were ready to join Roy's and Riza's sides. Jean and Rebecca went first; his arm holding hers. Their baby had been left in the care of Alphonse'. The pair reached the front and separated; Jean going behind Roy and Rebecca on the opposite place, behind the space that was reserved for Riza.

Heymans Breda went next; the woman by his side was Gracia Hughes. Roy's eyes softened at the sight. How he wished Maes were there to be the one to accompany his wife! Although Gracia wasn't too close to Riza, both women understood each other well, and both Roy and Riza had agreed on asking her to be a bridesmaid, in loving memory of her late husband.

Kain Fuery walked with Elicia Hughes. A teenager now, she was too old to be the flower girl, and Roy had insisted on her participation on the ceremony too. He'd made sure to ask the photographers to take many pictures of her and her mother, so he could later take some to Maes' grave.

The last were Vato Falman and Maria Ross. Both had been of great help and support from the beginning, having been part of Roy's team during the reconstruction of Ishval. Vato was no longer stationed in Briggs, and Maria was able to go back to her old life and career, all thanks to the arrangements Roy had taken care of.

Upon Winry's cue, Jacqueline Havoc spread flower petals from a basket all over the carpet in soft motions. The blue-eyed girl had been taught to do it the way fairies played with stardust in her favorite books. When she reached the end of the passage, she sat down at the front row on the bride's side, getting a proud wink from her mother and giggling with excitement.

Next, Henry Elric walked toward the front too, carefully carrying a cushion bearing the rings for the bride and groom. Jean took the cushion, and the boy went to sit next to his father on Roy's side. Winry was there already; she had hurried to her place walking along the outer end of the rows.

Finally, the wedding march began. Everyone stood up to welcome the bride. The blonde woman who would soon be the Führer's wife showed up with an elegant, opulent dress, attracting everybody's interest. Roy's eyes shone at the sight and resisted the need to run toward her. He grinned and didn't take his eyes off of her for a second as she approached.

Riza walked down the aisle holding her grandfather's arm, under the watchful eyes of one thousand witnesses, toward the man she loved. She found him in the altar waiting for her, and when she looked at him, everyone else disappeared. The walk to his side suddenly felt too slow for her; she just wanted to reach him.

Once there, Grumman let go of Riza and left her to the Führer, and just like with Amestris, made him the responsible of the care of something invaluable.

Rebecca took Riza's bouquet from her hands. Roy lifted Riza's veil and welcomed her with the gentlest smile he only ever showed to her. Her eyes were shiny and she couldn't stop looking at him with deep tenderness. He repressed the urge to kiss her but he took her hand, and together they turned to the judge who would officiate the ceremony.

"We are gathered here today to join together this man and this woman in the union of marriage."

As the man in front of them said his speech, Roy brushed his thumb on Riza's hand. She looked at him from the corner of her eyes; a sweet smile escaping her. She tightened the grip on his hand and he took a deep breath to control the huge grin that wanted to emerge.

The ceremony was long, going through all the formal steps like a Military event. Roy and Riza had enough time to observe the crowd, specially the people who were closer to them. Everyone who supported them was there, and despite the exceeding amount of attendants they both felt at ease. Staring into each other's eyes, time flew by for them, and they almost missed the judge asking them to say their vows.

Riza ran her fingers through her bangs and tried to ignore the multitude that was solely paying attention to her.

"Roy…" she began. She focused on him and knew she could say it. "You have been in my life for the biggest part of it, and I can't imagine living a moment of the rest of it without you."

Roy smiled warmly and pulled from her hands to bring her closer.

"You were a friend from the beginning," she continued, "and today you'll be my husband…" She shrugged a shoulder. "…And there's nothing I'd ever done that felt as natural as calling you my family."

Roy nodded softly. Riza opened her mouth and closed it before saying anymore, and Roy squeezed her hands encouragingly. She breathed in and out, and went on.

"I loved you for many years, and I always will. I admire you, and I'm proud of you, for all your strength, your gentle heart and the things you've done. And I'm eager to honor you as your wife, to cherish you, to protect you and to follow you, wherever life takes you."

She sighed as she tried to hide the blush on her cheeks, and Roy knew she was done. It was his turn now.

"Riza…" She looked up at him. "Looking back at all the important moments of my life, there's not a single one where you weren't a part of it. I'm here today because you saved my life, in more ways than one, and I will be eternally thankful to you for that."

Riza blinked and stared sweetly at her groom. He looked so confident.

"There won't be a day when I won't shower you with affection, because you deserve to be loved and cared for and I want to be the one to do that. I love you deeply, and I can't wait to say it to you as your husband, every day of the rest of our lives."

Riza smiled at Roy and leaned her head forward to kiss him. Roy closed his eyes and was brought back to his senses when the judge coughed to interrupt them.

"The rings," the man said.

Jean approached the bride and groom with the cushion that held the rings. Roy took Riza's first and put it on her finger. Then Riza took the other one and put it on Roy's.

"Roy," the judge said. "Do you take Riza to be your wife, to love her, comfort her, honor and keep her, in sickness and in health, as long as you both shall live?"

He nodded. "I do."

"Riza, do you take Roy to be your husband, to love him, comfort him, honor and keep him, in sickness and in health, as long as you both shall live?"

She made eye contact with Roy and smiled. "I do."

"By the power enthroned in me, by the nation of Amestris, I now pronounce you husband and wife. You may kiss the bride."

While noise of shouts and claps of celebration erupted all around them, Roy smiled sweetly at his wife and hugged her tightly, and her arms circled his back as their lips met. Their first kiss as spouses was soft and innocent, with no hurry and no deeper desire than that of pure love. Roy touched Riza's face before separating from her and felt her cheek was wet. When he looked at her, he wiped away the single tear.

Riza moved her hands to her husband's shoulders, and squeezed them to help keep her emotions at bay. She looked into his eyes; he was giving her that look again. The one that showed his infinite adoration for her. She felt a pleasant warmth inside, and closed her eyes when she saw him leaning. He touched his forehead to hers and, for a moment, they just held each other that way.

When they walked away from the altar, Riza's hand on Roy's arm, they found the first obstacle to the exit. Kain and Vato were holding swords raised into a high arch, with tips nearly touching, blocking the newlyweds' path.

"Kiss the bride, sir," Kain said.

Roy and Riza smiled at each other and shared a short kiss. The swords were put down and Roy and Riza moved forward.

Jean and Heymans were waiting for them.

"Kiss the bride, sir," Jean said.

Without hesitation, Roy pressed his lips to Riza's. Once more, the swords before them were put down and their path was cleared.

"Kiss the bride, sir," they heard again.

They had not expected a third pair of swords, which were this time lowered in front of them. Alex and Olivier Armstrong were the last members of the arch. Alex was visibly crying and Olivier, who had said the words, had a smug expression on her face as if she were enjoying interrupting Roy with her unplanned participation.

Nevertheless, Riza tugged at Roy's uniform softly, and he ignored Olivier's daring move as they kissed again. The siblings freed the way for the bride and groom.

Olivier announced to the public, "Ladies and gentlemen, it is my honor to present to you, Mr. and Mrs. Mustang. Führer and First Lady of Amestris."

Witnesses and protocols long forgotten, Roy and Riza were still lost in their kiss.


	8. The New Ishval

Chapter 8: The New Ishval

Roy looked out the window at the monotonous landscape of sand and sky. Every now and then he would spot a bird flying nearby. It had been like this for three hours already. The train had made many stops since they took it the previous day, the last one having been the evergreen Resembool.

He heard a soft knock on the compartment's door.

"Come in," he said.

Havoc entered quietly the compartment and sat down in front of the Führer.

"Is it over?" Roy asked in almost a whisper.

"Yeah, Falman took most of the pieces but Breda won in the end. Now he's playing with Fuery."

Havoc looked at the blonde woman who was lying against Roy; her upper body held firmly by the man's embrace. Her eyes were closed and she was breathing deeply and evenly.

"I can't believe she's not up, yet," he said.

Roy showed him a soft smirk. "We've had busy days. Didn't take enough time to sleep."

Havoc chuckled. "Well, we'll get there in about an hour. You should wake her up."

Roy watched his wife resting with a peaceful expression, and he smiled sweetly at the image. "Just ten more minutes," he said.

Havoc relaxed on his seat, opened the window and lit a cigarette. Silence fell upon them again, and after a while, Roy took the State Alchemist watch out of his pocket and checked the time.

He squeezed Riza's arm with delicacy.

"Hey," he said to her ear, and kissed her temple.

Riza stirred slightly and opened her eyes, blinking a few times until she recognized her surroundings. She made a sound from the back of her throat, some kind of complaint about her still tired body.

"Are we there?" she muttered.

"Not yet," Roy replied. "Fifty, maybe forty minutes."

She straightened in her seat and Roy removed the arm around her back to take her hand. "Good morning," he said.

She smiled at him. "Morning." She saw the other man in her vicinity. "Good morning, Havoc."

The blonde Captain released the smoke in his mouth in a swift motion. "Good morning, Hawk—Mustang," he corrected himself.

Riza raised an eyebrow and watched curiously as Havoc scratched his head thinking of the change.

"Maybe I should just call you Lieutenant Colonel?" he asked, and frowned. "But that's too long. How about Riza, or even Mrs. Mustang?"

The young First Lady chuckled. "I'm still a Lieutenant Colonel, so call me that in work environments. But…" She smiled. "…I'll go by Riza Mustang, now. It's the correct thing to do; supporting my husband by taking his name."

"Are you sure you don't want to keep both last names?" Roy asked her.

She nodded. "Yes, it's fine. I like Mustang."

Havoc grinned. "Alright, cool." He stood up and opened the compartment door. "I'll get you two some breakfast."

"Thank you."

"Thanks," Roy said.

When Havoc left, Roy brushed a lock of Riza's hair behind her ear.

"How did you sleep, Riza Mustang?"

She laughed softly. "Not that well, but I got some rest. How did you?"

"I woke up at five and couldn't go back to sleep."

"Oh." She embraced him and he returned the gesture. "Well, coffee will have to do now."

"Yes. We'll sleep better tonight. In a bed." He gave her a soft kiss on the lips.

Riza smiled. "Bed sounds good."

* * *

At the station, Lieutenant Colonel Miles welcomed Roy and his people. There were many Ishvalans around the place, who had gathered to see the Führer and his First Lady for the first time as a married couple. Holding hands, they both smiled gently as they were escorted to a car that would take them all to headquarters. The luggage was put into a separate car and taken to the rooms he and his team would be staying at.

Inside the building, once pleasantries had been given and they were all comfortably seated around a large table, Miles started to tell Roy about the latest advances in the region since he last had visited.

The total population was now of two thousand, eight hundred and twenty three Ishvalans. Ever since the reconstruction began, many groups had returned to their land, some of which had been hiding in different corners of Amestris, and some others in even different countries. The birthrate had slowly but surely risen since then, due to the couples feeling more secure and comfortable to raise their children in a peaceful environment.

Roy knew there were still groups that had settled in countries like Aerugo or farther yet, Creta. But he wouldn't force them to come back, specially not when they had decided to call those places their home. He had made sure, however, to let them know that Ishval was safe and alive again, ready to have them as soon as, and if, they decided to return.

Although building constructions were still taking place in some districts, every family had its own new house. There were schools, temples, parks, markets, medical centers, a fire station and even a theatre. Everybody knew what had transpired in that land, but for the sake of a better future, and the happiness of the younger generations, they were willing to look forward and work toward recovering their almost forgotten culture.

The Führer listened carefully at the information he was given, making questions before deciding to move on to the next topic. He inquired about many things, like the current state of the harvesting of wheat and cotton, and the extension of the electrical grid.

"Is the architect here?" he asked. "I want to see the new plans he was asked to bring today."

Miles nodded. "Yes, he's been waiting to be called, sir." He addressed a soldier standing behind him. "Ask him to come, Sergeant."

"Sir," the Sergeant said with a salute and left the room.

Riza felt a soft pressure on her knee, and looked down to find Roy's hand squeezing her under the table. She tried not to roll her eyes so the others wouldn't notice, but she showed her husband the ghost of a smile.

Shortly after, a middle-aged Ishvalan man entered the office; his red eyes scanning the room and focusing on the Führer when he saw him. He neared the table holding long paper rolls under his armpits.

Roy stood up and shook his hand. "Good morning, Mr. Hebron. Thank you for coming."

"Good morning, Führer Mustang," he said. "It's always an honor to be working for you." He immediately recognized the blonde woman sitting at Roy's side. "And congratulations on your wedding, Sir; Lieutenant Colonel."

"Thank you," Riza said.

"Thank you," Roy said as well. "Please, take a seat. I'm eager to see what you've brought."

The man sat across from Roy and spread the papers on the table. One showed the plan for a small city in "L" shape; blocks and streets fairly distributed, with detailed lines that defined the dimensions of every building. The others were blueprints for some of those buildings, among them houses, schools and Ishvalan temples.

"I imagine this must have taken a very long time to design," Roy said.

"It did," the architect replied. "My team and I had been working on this project for months. Although…" He rubbed his chin, observing the plan before him. "We don't know where this is meant to be built. The areas in Ishval that are still under construction do not fit with the dimensions of the area you asked us for."

Roy raised his head with a confident smile. "I'm afraid you're wrong." He turned to his assistant. "Captain Falman?"

Falman laid two large maps on the table, covering the plans.

"This is the official map of Ishval since 1806," Roy said pointing to one of them. "The total area is one hundred and twenty six square kilometers long."

Mr. Hebron raised an eyebrow in curiosity. There wasn't much of a point for the Führer to inform him of something that he already knew.

Roy took the second map from under the first and put it on top.

"Ishval, 1805," he said.

When the architect looked at the last map laid before him, he frowned for a moment, and then gasped as realization began to sink in.

"One hundred and eighty square kilometers," Roy continued. "When the conflicts initially began, the Amestrian government took thirty percent of the lands to pen the Ishvalans in."

Miles stood up and stared at Roy with wide eyes. "You don't mean…?"

Riza smiled contentedly. Roy's closest subordinates and her had already heard about the change, which had been previously approved by the Council upon the new Führer's request.

"The population is still very small," Roy said. He was still calm and collected. "But that does not mean we should wait another minute to return the lands."

* * *

In the afternoon, the streets were crowded with people who walked in all directions to buy their goods. The chain of market booths under the open sky covered the main blocks of the city on both opposite walls.

A multitude gradually approached the Führer and his wife until they were fully surrounded. The Ishvalans were used to seeing the military officials who had been intimately involved with the city's reconstruction, but this was the first time that Roy and Riza were present since their recent wedding. The couple received a number of congratulations and good wishes, along with a few presents from some of the artisans. Havoc offered to carry a box for them in which they put all the gifts; among them were coffee grains, homemade jam, and an embroidered pair of pillows.

Still in the middle of the group of people, Riza turned to her husband and found the same look she had on her face. It was uncomfortable. Yes, it was nice to be loved and welcomed by the community, but these people also lived through the day with the scars that the new Führer, his First Lady, and everyone they brought along, had caused long ago. No matter how much they changed the country for the better in the future, they didn't deserve to be idolized.

"Mrs. Mustang."

Riza followed the voice calling her and saw a little girl with braided white hair.

"I did this for you," she said. She was raising her hands, holding a collar with stones in a variety of shapes and colors. "These are the prettiest Ishvalan stones."

Riza kneeled in front of the girl and stared in awe at the piece. "Oh, this is beautiful!"

The girl smiled shyly and giggled.

"You're very talented, you know? I think it's an amazing jewelry piece," Riza said.

"Thank you!" The girl leaned to put the collar over Riza's head.

"No, thank _you_ for the present." Riza stood up and touched the girl's head softly. "How do I look?"

The girl gasped and grinned widely at the view of Riza wearing her handiwork. Riza winked at her, and she laughed softly before waving her goodbye.

Once most of the people finally left the couple, Riza took Roy's arm and talked close to his ear.

"I'll take a look around. Do you want something?"

Roy smiled. "Maybe some snack for later. Whatever you want."

She nodded. "Alright."

Roy gave Riza a quick kiss on her forehead and she walked away from him.

After spending some time buying toys for the five pets Elicia was dog-sitting back at home, and a thank-you gift for the teenage girl, Riza stopped by a produce stand. A young woman stood up from a stool behind the merchandise and grinned at her.

"Good afternoon, ma'am!"

"Good afternoon."

"Plums, limes and apples are at their best right now. Came fresh from the garden only an hour ago."

Riza smiled and observed the mentioned fruits.

"Everything else is from early this morning," the woman continued with pride evident in her voice. "But we always make sure to block them from the sun."

"Give me a full bag of apples, please."

Her eyes lit up when she replied. "Right away!"

Riza waited patiently as the woman picked the apples from a wooden box.

A tall man approached the stand at a quick pace and stood behind the seller. His jaw was clenched and his hands were on his hips.

"What are you are doing, Jana?!" he shouted.

The woman jumped in fright and turned around wide-eyed to face him. Riza frowned.

"We don't sell to _them,_" he said nodding at Riza but evading her eyes.

Riza took a step back and her lips were set in a thin line. She exhaled air through her nose as she stared at the Ishvalan man.

Jana stood up and shrugged. "We can't just avoid selling to every soldier, Zev. How else are we going to make it through the month?"

"Don't you know who she is?" He folded his arms and turned to give his back to Riza. "This is Mustang's wife." He scowled and lowered his voice when he said, "The Hawk's Eye."

Riza tensed and looked down for a moment. When she looked back up, Jana was looking at her with questioning eyes. Riza gave her a soft nod of affirmation. Jana jerked her head to the side and her red eyes shone with unshed tears.

"Alright," she said softly.

Zev took a breath; then stretched his neck to one side and then the other, until it made a cracking sound. "You know how mother and father died," he murmured. "Don't forget why Ishval needed to be rebuilt in the first place."

Jana touched the wet corners of her eyes with her fingers. "I know."

"Get rid of her," he ordered.

He walked away leaving the two women alone, not once having looked at Riza in the eyes.

Slowly, Jana took the apples out of the bag with trembling hands and put them back in the box.

"My—my brother and I came back barely a month ago from Aerugo," she said. "Our parents…" She looked at Riza and lowered her head again. "We don't know who, but we heard it was a sharpshooter."

Riza sighed and her eyes softened. "It may have been me."

Jana stared at her again, this time with surprise in her face.

Riza showed her a sad smile. "I'm sorry I caused you trouble."

The First Lady walked away from the market and toward her husband. With a hand holding the collar on her chest, she went fast, but not enough to be noticed. She didn't pay much attention to her surroundings though, and almost bumped into a Xingese couple.

She found Roy outside the Amestrian-Xingese Trade and Commerce Center, shaking hands with a small group of people of different nationalities. Ever since the Führer and Xing's emperor Ling Yao had arranged to unite the countries through a railway across the desert, there had been a notable increase of visitors from the East.

Riza approached Roy and when he noticed it he smiled at her.

"Hey, there you a—" It took him only one look from her to know that something was off. He frowned and touched her arm. "What is it?"

She shook her head. "Nothing new."

Roy pursed his lips and leaned closer to her. "Do you want to go get some rest?"

"No."

Roy hugged her by the waist started to walk, bringing her with him. "Let's go to the temple and see Scar for a moment. Last stop for today."

She nodded. "Fine."

* * *

Riza held the curtain to the side as she looked out the window. With a hand on the glass and ignoring the reflection of her tired face, she watched as a group of kids played with a ball in the street below her. She could hear muffled laughs and screams of excitement. These kids were having fun; they didn't seem to have any worries as most of their parents probably had when they were that age.

This was what Roy and his soldiers had been working for. A peaceful environment for the surviving Ishvalans and their next generations. The reconstruction of a place, a culture, that they themselves had destroyed with their own hands. It wasn't admirable, heroic. It would never be even. It was only the right thing to do.

Someone approached the group and the kids stopped playing. A boy took the hand offered by the adult and waved his friends goodbye. The pair crossed the street and she recognized him. The same man that had expressed his dislike of her at the market. She didn't even blink as she watched them go. The kids resumed their game.

Strong arms embraced her from behind and a chin rested on her shoulder. For some time, there was still silence. She could see her husband's reflection in the glass, too. He was staring at hers.

After a while, he asked, "What's with that face?"

She let go of the curtain and it covered the view. She rested her head against his.

"I just want to sleep," she said; the entirety of the message unspoken but understandable.

He sighed. "I'm glad you said it first."

When she turned to him, she noticed that he too was tired; exhausted even.

He released her and went to the bed. On the nightstand, the handmade collar lay abandoned next to the lamp. Riza didn't think she would wear it again, but she would keep it. It would stay a reminder of this day.

Roy moved the sheets enough to get in.

"Come on, let's get some rest," he said.

Riza followed him and soon they were both lying on the mattress with the sheets up to their chests. Roy held Riza close with an arm around her stomach and she held it there secure with both hands. He kissed her lips and rested his head on the pillow next to her.

"It's barely the fifth night," he murmured.

"That's not important. We had to be here."

"We had. But I wish I could have given you a proper honeymoon."

She brushed his hair behind his ear. "I don't care about such things, Roy. Living with you is already more than I could wish for."

He showed her a tender smile. "Say… we could have gone to some place for a while, where would you have preferred?"

Her eyes were distant as she thought. "Far away," she replied soon enough. "Wherever nobody knows us."

Roy took a breath and failed at hiding the frown from her. "We'll go there, someday. A place like that."

Riza smiled wryly and Roy kissed her forehead. She accommodated herself with her hands again over the arm he had on her stomach. She closed her eyes and whispered that she loved him. She felt asleep before hearing his reply.


	9. Broken Rules

Chapter 9: Broken Rules

With a silent sigh, Riza signed a paper with the plans she had been working on for the last couple of months. She was organizing the reconstruction of an old building to serve as the first Military museum of the country. It was well overdue, and she was happy to be in charge of a cultural project for a change.

The Führer's office was not the same King Bradley had used. When the repairs were finished after the Promised Day, Riza had been quick in checking all the rooms to suggest Roy to take the safest one, leaving the second best for Grumman. It wasn't the biggest or prettiest of them all, but there were no tall buildings in front of that side of H.Q. from where sharpshooters could hurt them.

As Roy had promised her, they were still sharing the office, and so were most members of his old team. Her desk was next to Havoc's. In front of them, against the opposite wall of the room, were Breda's and Falman's desks. Fuery, however, had been promoted and was working now in the Communications' room, with his own two subordinates.

Riza looked at Roy. His hair was always slicked back now, during work. He looked more serious, more adult. It was uncomfortable for him, she knew; but he never complained. His impeccable uniform and his medals became eventually a single item. He even carried a sword, sometimes on special occasions, and sometimes just because. It was heavy, and he would never use it, but it was a symbol of his power; it inspired respect.

Roy blinked, and his attention moved from the document on his desk to his wife's eyes, like he felt he was being watched. For a moment Riza just stared back, and a sensation of warmth washed over her. Roy smiled softly and winked at her, and the pen fell off her hand. Every now and then she allowed herself a second of weakness, in the safety of the office, in the privacy of their silent communication. It was a welcomed, much needed distraction.

Concealing a sheepish smile, she moved the pen from the paper it had fallen on, and left it aside. She closed the folder and stood up.

"I'll get a cup of tea. Does anyone want some?"

"No, thank you," replied the three men in the office.

"All right."

She reached the exit and barely touched the handle, when the door slammed against her side and she fell violently. She whimpered, and immediately heard a group of chairs scraping against the floor.

"Whoa, shit!"

She looked up and saw Havoc kneeling against her.

"I'm really sorry, Lieutenant Colonel. Are you all right?"

Teary-eyed, she massaged the back of her head. "…I guess."

"Havoc, what the hell?!"

Roy was helping her stand up before she even saw him coming.

"I'm sorry, sir! I came running and pushed the door too hard."

"Why were you even running?" Breda asked.

Havoc grinned widely. "They say there'll be ice cream for dessert today! We need to take the first turn of lunch break."

Breda gasped.

"No, you won't," Roy told him. He helped Riza walk back to her desk. "You just assaulted my wife. I don't think you're getting any ice cream, Captain."

Havoc looked devastated. "But it was an accident!"

"How are you feeling, Lieutenant Colonel?" Falman asked. "I can bring you an aspirin."

Riza waved her hand dismissively. "I'll be fine."

Roy sighed with exasperation. "Bring the Lieutenant Colonel and me our lunch first, and then you can take your break."

"Right away," Havoc said. "Again, I'm really sorry, Lieutenant Colonel."

Riza nodded. "It's fine."

Havoc abandoned the office. Breda and Falman sat back down, and Roy sat on Havoc's chair, close to Riza. He looked at her with a frown, and she smiled wryly.

* * *

Riza removed her turtleneck and put it on top of her uniform jacket, over the compartment's door in the ladies' room. One of her bra's straps had fallen off her shoulders when she hit the floor, and having lunch like that had been terribly uncomfortable.

As easy as the movements should be, she found the work to be quite complicated, if not painful. The muscles in her back and neck had tensed up during the incident, and she couldn't turn her head freely. Sighing, she fixed the clothing problem as careful as possible and started to get dressed.

She heard a pair of women entering and stopping by the mirrors.

"I'm just saying," one said. "I like Hawkeye but I can't believe nothing happened before the engagement."

Riza froze in the motion of putting back her jacket. People would talk; they always did. But making her presence known wouldn't be the best idea now if she wanted to prevent an awkward moment.

"That's none of your business, though," the other woman replied.

Riza recognized her voice. That was Second Lieutenant Lucy Olmsted. She had met her in the academy and they took some courses together. Olmsted was stationed in Briggs for a long time, but was transferred to Central after the Promised Day when there was an urgent need to fill the positions that the fallen soldiers had vacated.

"Of course it is. It's everyone's business. You know I liked Sergeant Brosh, but did I do something about it?"

The faucet was turned on.

"No, I did not," she continued. "I had to suck it up and go on; otherwise I'd have ended up behind bars."

Riza buttoned her jacket and noticed the silence in the room as someone washed her hands.

"I'm sure the ink must have entered my veins by now," Olmsted muttered. "Stupid pen."

Her friend chuckled. "Anyway, I'm sure some rules were broken here, and it's so unfair. I mean, they were always together; it's obvious they were seeing each other."

"Even if they were, there's no way to prove it now. You're wasting your time judging people like that."

"Yeah, I guess." She sighed. "My time's up."

The faucet was turned off.

"Bye."

Riza heard the door being opened and closed, and the sound of the towel being yanked from its hanger. She stepped out of the compartment and stood next to Olmsted, to the clear surprise of the younger woman.

"Lieu—Lieutenant Colonel!" she stuttered; her face getting a reddish tone. "I'm sorry, we—"

"Don't worry about it."

The Second Lieutenant dried her hands with care as the Lieutenant Colonel washed hers. Riza looked at the mirror. She had removed her clip barrette to lift the turtleneck over her head. She didn't want to make any unnecessary movements that would bother her muscles, so she left her hair down.

"Last week you mentioned you wanted to help with the museum, right?" Riza asked.

"Yes, I can type the informational signs."

"I'm almost finished with the list of exhibits; can I bring it to you later?"

"Sure, I'd love to check it out."

"All right, thank you."

Olmsted opened the door. "You know, you always stay a little longer than me, so if I'm gone by then, you can leave it on my desk."

Riza smiled at her. "I will."

* * *

Jean Havoc dropped the cigarette to the ground and turned it off with his shoe. Cutting his break short, he rushed back inside the building to inform the Führer that the person he had been waiting for was here. Having seen her car approaching from the height of H.Q.'s building, the blonde Captain calculated there were still five minutes left until she reached Roy's office.

In the hallway he found Falman entering the office and he followed him in. There was no one else inside.

"Have you seen the Führer?" Havoc asked him. "The Ice Queen is here."

Falman raised his eyebrows. "Oh! Well, he was not in the cafeteria and neither was the Lieutenant Colonel." He walked to the door on the left of Roy's desk. "They might be in his private office."

Havoc nodded. "If he's not there I'll go look for him."

Falman fisted his hand and raised it to knock—he froze. Immediately he looked at Havoc.

He frowned. "What?"

Falman began to sweat. His fist loosened as his index finger pointed toward the door back and forth, indicating that something was going on in there.

Havoc stood up and approached Falman just when Breda entered the office. Confused at his coworkers but nonetheless curious, he joined them too.

Silently, they leaned toward the door and listened.

They heard someone moan.

The three men bolted upright in shock and exchanged glances. Yes, they had all heard the same thing. Falman stepped back, but Breda grabbed his collar and pushed him close to the door again.

"_Wait, not that hard,"_ a woman said. It was Riza's voice.

"_I'm sorry!"_ Roy replied. He sounded worried.

"_You can be more gentle."_

Havoc shook his head. "I think this is bad, guys," he whispered.

"_There?" _Roy asked.

"_Yeah, that's nice."_

"_Hold your hair."_

As seconds passed, Riza moaned once; then twice. Havoc, Falman and Breda shared wide-eyed looks as they listened.

"_Do you like that?"_

"_You're so good."_

Falman frowned. "This is not allowed!"

Breda slapped the back of Falman's head; then touched his lips with a finger to ask for silence.

Riza moaned again.

"_That sounds pretty hot, Lieutenant Colonel. Glad you're enjoying yourself."_

"_Oh, could you not make fun of me?"_

"_I'm serious. I'd take you home right now."_

"_Ah, that'd be great, actually. I could lie down on the bed."_

"_Don't worry. My offer to keep my hands all over you will still stand later."_

Riza snorted._ "Somehow that doesn't sound too bad. You have magical hands."_

Havoc breathed through his teeth. "We should tell them to stop. Armstrong will arrive any moment, now."

Riza moaned. _"Ah, yes."_ And again. _"Right there."_

"_Damn, seriously. I'll need a cold shower if you keep doing that._"

"_I'm sorry, it _does_ feel good_."

Breda sighed. "I'll go check." He went to the door and stuck his head out into the hallway. Immediately after he got back into the office and ran toward the men. In a rushed whisper, he told them, "She's coming!"

Havoc and Falman gasped.

Roy's assistant forced his eyes shut and, all tensed up, knocked quickly and repeatedly on the door. "Sir! General Armstrong is here to see you, sir!"

For a moment there was silence. Olivier Armstrong finally entered; Breda had left the door ajar. The three men stood in a line as she walked toward the private office and saluted her.

"Welcome to Central, General Armstrong!" they all said.

She nodded. "Thank you. Is the Führer there?"

Riza emerged from the office with her hair still down, and Roy came out behind her.

Riza saluted her. "Good morning, General. Welcome back."

"Thank you, Lieutenant Colonel. Good to see you." She saluted Roy. "Führer Mustang."

"Thank you for coming, General Armstrong," he said. "Please come in."

Roy and Olivier got into the private office and he closed the door, while Falman closed the door to the hallway. Riza walked to her desk and, in the movement of the others getting back to their respective places, she noticed they were all watching her.

She raised an eyebrow. "Is something wrong?"

Falman flinched. "Uh…"

"Not at all!" said Breda, and forced a smile that he soon covered with a book.

Stranged, Riza eyed them with suspicion, but didn't ask any more questions.

* * *

It was about half an hour past leave time; almost everyone had left the building by then. In the Führer's office, only Roy's assistant, Falman, had stayed behind to help him with the last few documents. Time had flown by for Riza, and she'd forgotten to bring Sec. Lieut. Olmsted the folder with the Military museum files. She would be probably home by now.

Remembering their earlier conversation, Riza still took the folder and brought it to her commanding officer's office, for Olmsted to find the next morning.

She knocked on the door and got no reply, so she opened it. She only took a step forward before she froze.

On the other end of the office, before the window, two people in military uniform were kissing. Riza's jaw dropped. The tall man was in his late thirties and wearing a ponytail. She recognized him immediately.

"Lieutenant Colonel Copper!"

With a jump of surprise, the pair broke apart. The brunette woman that was with him, whose back was facing Riza, turned around to look at her. Riza gasped in shock.

"Olmsted…"

The woman quickly covered her mouth with her hand, looking at her superior officer with urgent worry. He looked pale already.

"What do you think you're doing?!" Riza demanded.

"I—I can explain!" Copper said. "It was me, not her! I… I just heard I'm about to be promoted." His voice was shaky. "I got over excited and, and I, uh..."

Riza looked at the woman. She was rubbing her eyes.

"It was a thoughtless reaction on my part," he continued, "but I swear this never happened bef—"

"You're crying."

Olmsted looked at Riza with her eyes wide as she brushed the last tear from her face.

Riza frowned. "Why are you crying?" She looked suspiciously at Copper; then back at her. "Was he forcin—"

"No!" Olmsted shouted.

She looked at Riza for a moment, who was staring intensely back. She took a deep breath and turned to the man. "Please, sir," she said weakly. "You don't need to protect me."

She took a paper from the desk and gave it to Riza, who scanned it for a moment.

"A reassignment request?"

"Yes."

Upon a closer look at the teary-eyed woman, Riza knew Olmsted wasn't just upset for being caught. Something else had bothered her.

"I didn't know," Olmsted protested. "He didn't have the decency to talk to me about it."

Copper sighed with defeat and collapsed on his chair, looking down at nothing in particular.

"I was just asking him not to sign it," the brunette continued.

Riza raised her eyebrows. "By kissing him?"

Grimacing, Olmsted shook her head. "I was putting an end to it, too. I'd rather go back to normal than stop working for him."

The man covered his face with his palm. It was all over for him, now.

Riza lifted her head slowly in understanding; her lips closed in a thin line. "How long have you been dating the Lieutenant Colonel?"

Olmsted gulped. "Just for the past two weeks."

Copper jerked his head up to look at Olmsted. Messy sounds of blows behind Riza startled the three occupants in the office immediately after. Having called everyone's attention, Sheska was picking up her books in the hallway.

"I'm sorry!" she said loudly. She was shaking. "I didn't mean to interrupt, I'm sorry!"

"That's okay," Riza calmed her.

Sheska fixed her glasses and grabbed the last book from the floor. She saluted. "Lieutenant Col—" Her pile of books moved forward and she lowered her arm to urgently catch them.

Riza showed her a sympathetic smile. "You're excused, Sheska."

"Thank you, ma'am."

Sheska rushed away from Copper's office, and Riza closed the door to avoid any more interruptions.

"Are you going to report us?" Olmsted asked. She seemed more calmed, now.

Riza frowned and looked sideways for a moment, thinking. She turned to the Sec. Lieutenant. "I'm afraid I have to. The fraternization rules are strict and I can't just ignore this. It is my duty to report you."

Olmsted flinched. "Please, don't." Lowering her voice, she asked, "Can't we keep this between us, Riza?"

Riza was taken aback by hearing her name. Back in the academy, she called Lucy Olmsted by her first name, too. But this was a different time; things had changed long ago.

"Nobody needs to know," Olmsted continued. She put her palms together in a pleading gesture. "Please, don't do this. We'll be court-martialed."

Riza held her folder under one arm, laying her other hand on her waist. "You knew the risks; this is your own fault."

Olmsted lowered her head.

Riza sighed. "I'm disappointed in you, Second Lieutenant." She looked at Copper. "And you…"

The man looked at Riza with heavy eyes.

"The Führer has so much respect for you, Copper."

The man nodded and stood up. "I take my job very seriously, Lieutenant Colonel." He approached Riza slowly as he spoke. "And I appreciate the Führer's respect of my work. He said it to me personally many times."

"Yes, I know."

"I'm sorry I lied," he said gravely. "I only meant to protect my subordinate."

"I understand that," Riza said. "But it won't be me you'll have to explain it to."

He cleared his throat. "Given that… this is the first time we break a rule, and that we're both hard-working, dedicated people… I wonder if it would be much to ask you for a favor just this once. I could continue with the reassignment of Second Lieutenant Olmsted under Colonel Jones, if you let me."

Riza checked the document in her hand. It still needed Copper's signature for the request to be valid, and the Führer would still have to approve of it.

"I'm sorry, I can't do that," she said. She showed him the form request and shrugged. "I'm even holding proof, now. Giving up a subordinate of seven years is not something you hear every day."

Riza put the request paper inside her folder.

Copper growled and fisted his hands. "I'm asking you, _please_!" He took a firm step closer. "Don't tell the Führer about it. We didn't cause any harm and—"

Riza raised her hand to stop him. "You're asking me to lie to my husband! I believe you forget I'm the First Lady of this nation, Lieutenant Colonel."

He breathed through his nose. "No, ma'am, I'm well aware. But you'll punish us for a small affair. A reassignment would let us have an actual relationship; it's what I'm asking for."

She shook her head. "It's too late for that."

She looked at the woman. Olmsted was rubbing her arm in a soothing manner.

Riza spoke softly to her. "You'll understand I'm just doing my job. I would have expected you to do the same if you had caught me."

Olmsted nodded. Riza left the office and walked toward hers. She noticed the Second Lieutenant following her into the hallway, but she didn't turn back to look at her.

* * *

Roy was by his desk putting on his coat. He smiled at Riza the moment he saw her, but frowned a second later. Only when she looked into his eyes did she lower her pace.

"We're leaving?" she asked. She put her folder in her desk's drawer.

Roy blinked. "Yes... Are you all right?"

Her smile didn't reach her eyes. "Yeah."

"You're all tense. Is your back still hurting from the fall?"

She relaxed her shoulders. "A little."

He smiled wryly. "You need some rest." He took her by the arm and walked out of the room, closing the door behind them. "Come on, let's go home."

There were a few officers at the entrance either greeting each other or talking, who saluted Roy and Riza as they passed by. Riza spotted Lieutenant Colonel Copper handing a key to the receptionist. She couldn't hear the conversation, but he looked visibly upset.

On a couch against the wall, Second Lieutenant Olmsted's eyes found Riza's. Grimacing, she stood up and saluted. Riza could still see the desperation in her eyes, pleading her not to tell. Riza turned her head away from the woman, and moved forward among the saluting soldiers.

Once under the setting sun, she looked down and took a slow, deep breath. She wished she hadn't found them. She wished she wouldn't have to be in that position. But doing her duty was more important than any sympathetic feelings. She was the First Lady; she couldn't let a rule violation pass like it wasn't important. A strong nation's structure needed strict and obedient soldiers.

Riza looked at Roy. It hadn't been easy for them to keep a strictly professional relationship through all those years, but they did it. One slip up, one single kiss would have ruined their goals forever had someone found them. They'd had this silent understanding, being friendly only when they were alone, but still not letting it get any further than that when they both knew they wanted to.

If only Olmsted and Copper had been more careful, they would still have their jobs, and Riza wouldn't have remembered how long and lonely her nights used to be. Even when she didn't approve of their behavior, she understood it. She never kissed Roy before they got engaged, but she lost track of the many times she wished she had.


	10. Trial

Chapter 10: Trial

Roy and Riza got out of H.Q. in silence. She was awfully aware of the way he looked at her. There were two men by the open door of the car, waiting for them.

"We'll go alone, Lieutenant; Sergeant," Roy said to them. "You can follow us."

"Sir," they replied with a salute.

Thankful for the privacy with his wife, Roy drove home as the soldiers went in a separate car close behind them for extra protection. Riza looked out the window with a frown, and turned to Roy only when she heard him sigh.

"There's something going on," he said. "What is it?"

She nodded. "I'll tell you when we get home."

He turned a corner.

"Was it something I said?"

Her features softened and she smiled sweetly. "No, dear. It's not you."

"But it's important."

"Yes."

Roy nodded. "I see." A block ahead, he asked, "Why don't you just tell me?"

She moved a lock of hair out of her face. "You're not really the best driver when you hear shocking news."

He looked at her and raised his eyebrows. "Shocking, huh?"

"Eyes on the road!"

Roy shook his head. "All right, then."

* * *

Roy and Riza arrived to their house and were happily welcomed by Black Hayate and his family. Then, Roy left his coat on the hanger. He turned around to see Riza standing in front of him, and she brushed his hair with her fingers so it wouldn't stay slicked back like it had all day. He pulled from her jacket and unbuttoned it as he gave her a peck on the lips.

"Do you need help undressing?"

She giggled. "I can manage. I feel much better after that intense session in your office."

Roy removed her jacket and put it on the hanger; then grabbed her by the waist, held her against his torso and kissed her neck. "We can pretend you still need a hand."

Riza chuckled. "Let's just go change clothes so then I can make dinner."

Roy took Riza's hand and walked to the bedroom bringing her with him. "So, given that you're feeling good again, I guess it's safe to say we're not canceling our plans for tonight?"

Riza rolled her eyes and then smirked. "Oh, of course we're having dinner, if that's what you mean. I wouldn't let you go to bed on an empty stomach."

Roy laughed.

After they removed their uniforms and changed into more comfortable clothes, Riza made dinner and Roy fed the dogs. Then he snapped his fingers and turned on the fireplace and, while it would still take another twenty minutes for the food to be ready, Riza brought two glasses of wine to the living room.

"All right; listen," she said.

She handed a glass to Roy, who was sitting on the sofa, and sat across from him, on the coffee table. She took a sip from her glass.

"I've waited to tell you just so you wouldn't have a reaction in the office. We were already leaving, anyway."

Roy nodded. "That's fine. So what is it?"

Riza frowned and looked into his eyes when she spoke. "I entered Lieutenant Colonel Copper's office today. Second Lieutenant Olmsted and him were kissing."

Roy looked at her dumbfounded. "…_What_?!" He moved brusquely and splashed a few wine drops on himself.

She pursed her lips. "Yeah. They've been having a thing for a while."

He shook his head in disbelief. "Are you sure?"

"Yes, Roy, I'm sure."

Looking down, he took a deep breath and left the glass next to Riza. He slipped a hand through his hair. "Fuck…"

"Yeah, I'm sure they do, too."

Roy snapped his head up at her.

She blinked and cleared her throat. "Sorry."

He stared at her for two seconds; then chuckled nervously. He stood up and walked a few steps with a hand on his waist before turning back around.

"How dare they break the rules, Riza?! Did they think it wouldn't matter because _we_ got married?"

"Some people think we've been together for years. We might have sent the wrong message when we didn't really give a public explanation."

"I can't believe we have to deal with this."

She took his hand when he walked in front of her. "Sit."

He let himself fall heavily on the sofa. "So what happened? Do they know you saw them?"

She nodded. "They admitted to it. He had gotten a transfer request for her so they could make it official. She wasn't happy about it."

Roy held his chin with his free hand. "So they would have made it, had you not found them."

Riza bit her lip and shook her head. "I wish I hadn't, Roy."

He tightened his grasp on her hand and smiled wryly. "It's not your fault, you know. Don't feel responsible."

She nodded slowly and hummed in reply.

Roy took the glass back and drank from it. "We can't let it pass now, though."

"I know."

He relaxed in his seat. "This hasn't happened since…"

"Over ten years ago, remember?"

He nodded. "Colonel Stone and that Lieutenant of hers, right. They were discharged immediately."

Riza looked down at the red wine for a moment; then stood up to sit down next to Roy. "We'd just come back from Risembool. Do you know what I thought when I heard about them?"

He didn't reply.

"…I thought, how lucky they had been until the day they were caught. I thought, unlike us, they were lucky, Roy."

Roy moved so his torso was facing Riza's, laying an arm over the sofa's back.

"…Because we never had that, and never would."

He raised an eyebrow. "But the risk wasn't worth it in the end. She was sent to jail for a while and they lost their careers."

"I don't think it wasn't worth it for them." She shrugged. "I mean, they knew the consequences, and they still chose to go with it. At that moment at least, it was worth it." She smiled softly. "And they're still together now."

He tilted his head. "Riza, do you regret not starting a relationship sooner?"

She opened her eyes wide. "No! Not at all." She drank from her cup. "Our goal goes before our personal lives. Taking risks was out of the question for us."

Roy nodded and drank the rest of his wine, all the while looking at Riza from over the glass. Roy's hand resting on the sofa's back reached Riza's hair, and he ran his fingers through it.

He prompted, "But?"

She saw him curiously and a corner of her lips turned up. She took a sip of her wine. Of course he knew she wasn't done talking.

"I just wonder," she said. "How bad would a little selfishness be if no harm were done?"

"While still breaking the rules?"

She stared at him, thinking.

Roy took a deep breath and stretched to leave his glass on the table.

"Well, I'm glad we're not in a position where we really have to wonder about that."

"Hmm…"

Riza finished her beverage, and Roy took her glass and put it next to his. She lifted her legs and rested her feet on the sofa, her side against the back of the seat.

"It's such a shame. I really like Olmsted. She was going to help with the organization for the museum, you know?"

"She still can."

Riza lifted her eyebrows and showed him an ironic look.

Roy huffed. "Yeah, she won't. Copper was good, too. It's a big loss."

"They asked me not to tell you."

"They did?"

Riza pulled softly from Roy's shirt. "You're not just the Führer. You're my husband. For them, the worst thing about this is not that someone found them. It's who did it. Anyone else would have probably kept it a secret."

Roy frowned. "But if you hadn't told me… if we didn't do anything about it…"

"That would speak very badly of our marriage, wouldn't it? Like I would keep something from you." She sighed. "It was very insulting that they thought I would lie to you, too."

Roy caressed her wedding ring. "Don't worry about that. I know you never would."

She showed him a serene smile. "Of course, Roy."

"Were there any other witnesses?" he asked.

"Sheska walked past when we were discussing. She heard some of it."

"Good."

Roy stood up and offered his hand to Riza.

"Enough of this for now."

She took his hand and Roy pulled to help her stand up.

He took a deep breath through his nose. "Something smells really good." He smiled at her. "Let's have dinner."

* * *

It had been raining since dawn. In the garage, Roy and Riza got in the backseat of the car to be taken to Headquarters. The driver turned around.

"Ma'am. There's a woman by the door who wants to speak with you."

The couple looked at each other, having not expected any visits.

"All right," she said.

The gate was opened and the car moved to the front of the house. Second Lieutenant Olmsted looked small under her umbrella.

Riza took her umbrella from under the seat. "It'll just take a minute." She got out of the car and went to talk to the woman.

Unlike Riza, Olmsted wasn't wearing her uniform. She had bags under her eyes, and her feet were wet. It was pouring heavily so she had to speak loud to be heard.

"Good morning, Lieutenant Colonel."

"Good morning."

She gulped visibly before speaking again. "You told him, didn't you?"

"Yes."

She nodded. "I just want to ask, if it's not too late, if we can make an arrangement about this."

Riza lowered her brow. "Arrangement?"

"I'll resign. Right now, I'll go and resign. No need to make a file case over this incident, don't you think?"

Riza shook her head slowly.

"L—look. Copper is an excellent officer. He can't lose his career because of a little mistake."

"You're belittling the situation, Olmsted. As your commanding officer, he'll be tried and punished for the behavior he allowed not only outside, but in the working place as well. And so will you."

"It's just…" She sobbed.

Riza looked at Roy in the car before looking back at her.

"It was my fault, all right? I pursued him. He fought against it for a long time, but I just couldn't give it up."

Riza pursed her lips. "You said it's been going on for only two weeks. I saw his face when you said that. It's been much longer, hasn't it?"

Olmsted stared at Riza in silence for a moment; then looked down. "It's true what I said yesterday, you know? That I was leaving him."

"I'm afraid I can't help you, Olmsted. You'll be held responsible for your actions." A raindrop fell on Riza's face and she flinched. "If you have… pictures, letters, anything from him, you may want to take them out of your house in case they demand a search for proof."

Another raindrop fell on Olmsted's eyes this time, and making her blink. She nodded, and Riza walked toward the car, leaving the brunette behind.

"I got an abortion."

Riza froze; then quickly turned around to face the woman again.

"Two months ago," Olmsted said. She was shaking. The weather wasn't too cold. "He doesn't know," she continued. "He would have asked me to resign and keep the child. I couldn't afford to do that. I couldn't leave him alone. He needs my support, Riza."

By then, Riza was sure the water on the woman's face wasn't just from the rain. She took a deep breath. "Why are you telling me this?"

"I don't know. Sympathy?" She looked down. "I didn't tell this to anyone else. It was my own choice." Her eyes moved from Riza's and were directed to the car. "Surely you've made sacrifices for him." She nodded to herself. "Yes… of course you have, and still will."

Riza sighed. "Expect a notification document delivered in a couple of hours. And get your own lawyer, too."

She looked behind her and nodded at Roy. She saw him speak to the driver, and the man turned on the car again.

She put down her umbrella. "I'm sorry, Lucy."

Riza returned to the car, aware that she was still being watched when it moved away.

* * *

It was twenty minutes before the trial began. It would be a private session, with no more than fifteen people in the room. By now, everyone in Headquarters already knew what was going on. It wouldn't be long until the media found out about it, too.

Roy and Riza had stopped their activities of the day to assist the event. Havoc, Breda and Falman would keep up with their work. Someone came looking for the Führer and First Lady to escort them to the court room. When they reached the door, however, someone stood in their way.

"I'm sorry, sir," Havoc said. But we need to speak to the two of you."

Roy and Riza looked at him; then at the other men in the office, who had stood up. They looked at each other, confused, and Roy frowned.

"What is this about?" He asked. "We have to go."

"Sir." Havoc cleared his throat. "We understand Second Lieutenant Olmsted and Lieutenant Colonel Copper might be tried for misbehavior in the working place, besides their fraternizing relationship."

"That is correct."

Havoc nodded and turned to share a look with Breda and Falman; then turned back to Roy and Riza. "I'll go straight to the point. We know you have broken that law as well."

Roy flinched. "What?!"

Havoc blinked and took a step back. "Breda, you tell them."

Heymans jumped in his place. "Uh…" He shrugged. "We heard you having sex in the private office when General Armstrong arrived."

Riza shook her head, disbelievingly. She whispered horrified, "What the hell…"

Roy burst out laughing hysterically. Everyone looked at him. When he calmed down, he touched Riza's shoulder.

"I told you it sounded like that."

Riza looked down, averting everyone's eyes. Her cheeks turned a soft pink. "Oh, no…"

"What you heard, gentlemen," Roy said, "was me helping your First Lady ease the crick in her back because _someone_…" He jerked his head toward Havoc. "…Hit her with the door, and she went stiff to the point of being unable to move."

A cigarette hit the floor. Slowly, Riza lifted her head and looked at the men again. Breda was staring at the roof, Falman was scratching his head, and Havoc had his mouth open in shock.

Under his breath, the Captain said, "Shit…" He bent down to grab the cigarette and stood back up. "I'm so sorry, ma'am."

Riza shrugged. "It's not like you did it on purpose."

"Now, all of you…" Roy said, bringing back the attention to him. He folded his arms. "Has any of you ever seen me kiss my wife, even on the cheek, inside this building?"

"No, sir," Havoc, Breda and Falman replied together.

"Has anyone heard me call her by her first name during working hours?"

"No, sir."

Roy nodded. "Of course not. And the reason you haven't, is because we don't do that. There's a time and a place for that, and the Lieutenant Colonel and I know perfectly well to control our behavior."

"That's right," Falman said. "The Lieutenant Colonel would never allow for that to happen."

"Right," Breda agreed.

Roy rolled his eyes. "Now, if you'll excuse us…" He opened the door and Riza got out of the office. He turned back to his old friends and sighed. "Although I'm not happy with you thinking I would abuse my position and break Military rules, I'm glad you pointed it out."

The men smiled at him with relief.

* * *

Riza sat behind the podium. The lawyer, Robert Kuhn, didn't take his eyes off of her even as he reached the end of the aisle and turned to keep walking toward the opposite end.

"Lieutenant Colonel Mustang," he called. "You were the one to find and report Second Lieutenant Olmsted and Lieutenant Colonel Copper; is that correct?"

Both officers were looking at her from the left half of the room. Copper stared with venom in his eyes, but Olmsted only looked disappointed.

"Yes, it's correct."

"Can you point at them?"

Riza pointed at each of the accused with her index finger.

Kuhn nodded. "What did you see?"

"I saw them kissing inside the office."

A clang stole her attention. A woman by the judge's right was typewriting every uttered word.

"Führer Mustang reported that Second Lieutenant Olmsted met you outside your house the morning of November fourth. Do you confirm this?"

Roy had his arms crossed in front of his chest. He sat right in front of Riza. The lawyer blocked her view from him for a moment as he walked past.

"Yes. She talked to me."

"What did you talk about?"

"She asked me not to report them."

"Is that all you talked about, under the pouring rain of that morning, before the witnessing eyes of the Führer and Sergeant David Mills, the designated driver of the time?"

Riza raised an eyebrow. She didn't see the need of making it such a long question. "No. She proposed her own resignation, asking for Copper to be allowed to keep his position."

"What?!"

Riza and the lawyer turned to see Copper speaking to Olmsted.

"Why would you do that?" he asked her.

She rolled her eyes. "If they had let you stay, I wouldn't have minded leaving. You have a higher rank and are more useful here than me, after all."

He shook his head. "That's not true."

"Silence!" The judge shouted at the couple.

"Lieutenant Colonel," the lawyer called. "Do you know whether the accused officers are involved in a romantic relationship that started before the day you witnessed the kiss they shared?"

Riza forced away the need to roll her eyes. "I'm positive they are."

"And was there any indication, perhaps during the meeting you had with Olmsted on November fourth, perhaps under different circumstances, of how long they had been keeping their forbidden relationship behind the Amestrian Military's back?"

The question dropped a heavy weight on Riza's shoulders. She felt Lucy's eyes on her. Sure, she didn't know when the relationship had started, but she did have certain knowledge that would be valuable for the judge's decision. A piece of information that Lucy shared with her but wanted to keep from Copper.

Riza never lied to Roy, and it was hard to look at him at the moment. She had already fulfilled her duty by bringing the trial upon the couple. It was not her place to make public a private issue and possibly destroy a relationship in the process. If Copper ever found out about the pregnancy that Lucy had terminated, it wouldn't be her decision.

"For all I know," Riza said, "it wasn't for longer than a week or two."

Copper was serious, but oblivious to how the Lieutenant next to him was feeling. Lucy locked eyes with Riza and gave a tiny nod; a thank-you. She had bit her lip so hard it was swollen, but now the worry in her face barely, but surely, lessened.

"All right," Kuhn said. "That's it for now, Lieutenant Colonel. Thank you for your cooperation. You may go back to your seat."

Riza sat down next to Roy, and he took her hand. She evaded eye contact with him, instead choosing to look forward at the podium. What she wasn't telling him did not affect him in any way, but she felt uncomfortable, and wished she wouldn't have to hide something from him again. She knew though, that sometimes, some things just needed to be left unsaid.

The trial ended hours after it had started. Sheska was asked to give her version shortly after Riza. The accused officers had brought their own witnesses as well; a pair of coworkers who spoke in their defense. Olmsted and Copper both denied being in a relationship, but they admitted to having feelings for each other and having kissed a few times during the last couple of weeks before they were caught.

They were found guilty of fraternization. Führer Mustang was a member of the jury and he participated in the decision of the punishment. Lieutenant Colonel Copper was permanently expelled from the Military, for he was the superior officer, and therefore, the main responsible. Lieutenant Olmsted, on the other hand, was only suspended for two years.

The last time this sort of trial had taken place, the punishment was more severe. This time, though, the couple was free to walk away and continue their lives as they pleased. No longer would fraternization be punished with incarceration, but it would still not be allowed between officers in the same chain of command. The message was spread throughout the entire Central H.Q., and soon reached the rest of the Amestrian force.

* * *

Riza was returning to the office after a break when she came across General Armstrong in the hallway, steps away from the door.

She saluted her. "General."

"Ah, Lieutenant Colonel. I'm glad I got to see you. I'm heading back North immediately."

"I see. Have a safe trip, General. I'm sorry the meetings with the Führer got delayed. We certainly were not expecting the inconveniences we had."

Olivier flipped her long hair away from her face and behind her shoulder. "It wasn't your fault." She cleared her throat. "And about that… I understand you could have let the incident pass if so you wanted to."

"I simply did my duty as a State Officer."

"Hmm. I knew Olmsted; she was stationed in Briggs for some time."

"I know. We graduated the same year."

"It's an honor to have soldiers like you. Your loyalty is admirable. Almost as that of my most trusted Bears'."

Riza lifted an eyebrow. "Almost, huh?"

Olivier looked behind Riza. There was no one nearby. "I have the feeling your loyalty is not to Amestris, but to one man."

Riza jerked her head to one side as she watched the General. Olivier was giving her a knowing look; she was the smartest woman Riza had met. There was no point in denying it. She frowned, and the tone of her voice turned defiant.

"A man who loves, and is devoted to Amestris."

Olivier smirked. "One day you'll learn the difference matters."

She looked at the end of the hallway and took a step forward; but then stopped abruptly. She scanned Riza's figure down to her boots. Then all the way up again, taking longer at the curves of her legs, her waist, and even her chest.

Riza felt exposed. She wondered if it was the outfit. On rare occasions, she wore the regulatory knee-length skirt to work instead of pants.

Within Headquarters, only Douglas had dared to look at her that way. Although this time she didn't feel disrespected; just observed.

"I wish I had met you before he did."

Blinking, Riza's attention went back to the taller woman.

"He wouldn't have made it to Führer without you."

Riza pursed her lips. "I wouldn't be sure about that."

"Oh, but I am. I'd be sitting on that chair instead of his sorry ass."

"It's a fine ass."

Olivier's eye twitched. "...You would know."

General Armstrong walked past Riza and lifted her hand in a greeting gesture.

"I'll see you, Lieutenant Colonel Mustang."

Riza saluted as she watched her go. "Sir."

Riza opened the door to the office and Roy immediately fixed his eyes on her. The afternoon sunlight on his back and a side of his face looked charming. It seemed like he was writing some document. Interrupting his activity, he followed her with his gaze as she walked to her desk. Feeling confident, she winked at him, and the pen fell off his hand.


End file.
